THE WHEEL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 26

THE WHEEL.

“Cyclometer” will at all times bo pleased to receive contributions, correspondence, news items, reports of meetings, suggestions, and other matter interesting to cyclists. Correspondents ami contributors must send their full names and addresses, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of the genuineness of their communications ; write on one side of the paper only, and address : “ Cyclometer,” New Zealand Mail.

SPOKES.

i By “Cyclometer.” The individual who wants a tax on cycles has again been airing his opinions in the Post. His arguments (to be charitable) in favour of taxation are (1) Those who use our roads for cycling should contribute towards maintenance; (2) the increase in tho city’s revenue derived from tho taxation would be very acceptable to tho City Fathers; (3) on the Continent cycles aro taxed ; (4) our Corporation taxes dogs, vehicles, hawkers and property—then why not bicycles ? (5) with more funds in hand, some of our neglected streets may be improved. Tho writer signs himself “ Ratepayer," and it is evidently his one desire that his own taxation shall be lightened by unjustly taxing cyclists. Altogether ignoring the injustice of tho tax, lie looks at the matter solely from tho standpoint ot increased revenue. What do the Corporation tax dogs, Ac., for ? It taxes dogs in order to prevent the city being overrun by worthless mongrel curs; vehicles because they injure tho roads; hawkers, primarily to detect crime and fraud; property, in order to pay for tho making and maintaining of roads, water-supply, Ac., to such property. All very good reasons for taxation. But what good reason is there for taxing tho cycle ? It would be just as reasonable to impose a tax on boots and shoes, or perambulators, for a bicycle does not injure the surface of a road half as much as these. Authentic figures go to show that A single carrier’s wagon or a farmer’s dray causes more damage to a road surface than the passage of 2000 pneumatic-tyred cycles. “ Ratepayer ”is of tho opinion that there aro 500 bicycles in this city, and lie would have those taxed in order to repair the damage they cause tho roads, which amounts to about onethird that caused by a butcher’s cart! As it is, Wellington cyclists are heavily taxed now —to maintain their seats when bumping over our “ roads.” ’The large cities of England with their thousands of of cyclists do not impose a tax, and there is not the slightest reason for instituting : one hero.

“The Cycling Authority of the Southern •Hemisphere” has, of course, tried to explain that it was quite right and 1 was hopelessly wrong re Fabian’s record; being “The Authority," that was to be expected. But it even goes farther, and endeavours to argue that tho C.A.5.11. never existed. As a matter of fact ho is quite right in this instance, for it never did exist except in the editor’s mystified mind. He is not so successful, however, when he tackles the subject of tho record, for in the courso of a column article the writer only succeeds (unconsciously, of course) in supporting my contention that Wakemau did not lower Fabian's record and that the hitters record is quite distinct from the WellingbmN.ipicr record. But it would have been limn; honest if, instead of putting tho onus of its error on the Road Records Association of England, the “Authority” had admitted it fell into the error by cribbing the report of J Wakeman’s ride from another paper with- | out acknowledging its source.

Sunday v as a perfect day for riding, and there wore few local cyclists who did not avail themselves of the opportunity to indulge in their favourite exercise. Of Hie large party who rode out to the Unit Valley," about a dozen were ladies, while the fair sex were much in evidence among the continuous stream of light-hearted wheelers who wended their way round the (Queen’s Drive. Among those who journeyed to the li utt were Mr and Mrs W. B. Edwards and daughter and Mr and Mrs A. do B. Brandon. The way in which some of the ladies rode along tho two-foot track between the sea of mud and tho fence at different points along the WellingtonPetone road would have put to shame the steering of many of our wheelmen who perform in public.

The Wellington correspondent of “Tho Cycling Authority ” states that in men-

tioning Wakeman’s amateur pacer’s name when dealing with tho Alliance rulo on tho subject of pacing 1 did my “best to get that genuine sportsman disqualified by tho Alliance.” I agree with him as to tho good qualities of Mr E. N. Grove as a sportsman—at the time I said his action in pacing Wakemau was sportsmanlike—and if the writer referred to had performed in public as consistently as Mr Grove, the public would have been more satisfied with him. Tho fact that this writer would have mo cover up Mr Grove’s sin (for, ridiculous as it may seem, it is a sin in the opinion of tho Alliance) lets a great flood of light on his (the correspondent’s) actions in the past.

Through tho courtesy of Mr D. France, of Manchester, England, I have had tho pleasure of perusing a ’96 Humber price list. It is one of the most tasteful productions of its class l liavo yet seen, being well illustrated with views of country scenes in which happy wheelers are prominent, also of race tracks on which numbers always load. Mr Franco, who is over 50 years of ago, marks the special road racer, geared to 70in and weighing 24}lb, as being his now mount, and lie adds, “ it; is a little beauty.” A special feature in this year’s Numbers is the Model 1. openfront tandem, with a 28in driving wheel, the steerer being only 22iu. Instead of the usual handle-bar being in front, it is now placed at tho rear of tho front rider, tho handles being at the side. As the front is perfectly open, the new tandem is especially suitable for lady riders, as they can mount more easily, and in case of accident they can readily clear themselves with less risk of injury. Of tho other mounts there is the path-racer of lfilb to the roadster of 3Mb, while the large variety of ladies’ wheels average from 261 b to 351 b. There aro also boys’ and girls’ safeties at low prices, triplets, tandems and tricycles, while the Humber “Eiffel” (by-tho-way, it is termed a “safety”) is also given a place. The Simpson chain can be fitted to Humbers at an extra cost of X 3. Messrs Inglis Bros., of Willis street, are tho North Island agents for tho Humber.

On Sunday last a policeman in plain clothes was stationed near Kaiwarra for tho purpose of “nabbing” those cyclists who preferred to ride on tho footpath instead of the “road,” which in places was eight inches deep in mud. Tho result of Bobby’s watchfulness will be that a dozen or so of our wheelmen will shortly bo requested to interview tho magistrate.

An encounter took place between a dog and a wheelman on the Hutt road on Sunday last. Tho “ wrastle ” was short, sharp and decisive, victory crowning tho efforts of the canine cur, which retired to an advantageous position in order to view tho remains of his vanquished foo scattered by tho roadside. The only satisfaction the crestfallen wheelman received from the dog’s owner was tho extremely consoling remark, “ It’s a good job it wasn’t worse.”

There scorns to bo a doubt in the minds of many local wheelmen as to whether ! they should ride on the right or tho left I side of the road. The quest ion as to which | was the correct way was seriously put to jme the other day by a cyclist. Being I under tho impression that there was some | ulterior motive in the query, 1 replied that j the cyclist who rode on the right often got I “ loft,” while he who rode on tho left was i usually “right.” My enquirer, somewhat | annoyed, explained that he was not joking, I but that ho was really in doubt on the ! point, as on two occasions recently, when riding to tho left, ho had nearly been run down by cyclists riding in the opposite direction, and who were good enough to angrily enquire why my friend did not get on liis right side. Whether it could have been “bluff" or real ignorance on their part I cannot say, but as the rule of tho road is just the reverse of the rule of tho footpath in Wellington, it is quite possible that some of our wheelers occasionally get confused. But bo this as it may, the rulo of tho road is to keep to the left, and tho cyclist who tries to ride to the right against a stream of vehicular traffic will, in tho popular vernacular of the day, promptly get "left.”

A reporter on the New Zealand Times who is not totally unversed as to the faults and foibles of the wheel, gets off the following at the expense of two well-known recent additions to the ever-swelling ranks of Wellington wheelmen : Two commercial travellers, ouo a ragman, tho other a modest and intellectual-look-ing representative for soap, who have been filled with a yearning to astonish a dull and weary world with some astounding feats on the cycle, wanted to “ break ” something, and as records were not at all

in their lino, tho representative of tho latest novelty in shirts, trousers, &c., tried his hand not long since at a threehorso vehicle, and the vehicle had a trifle tho best of tho encounter. It went on its way, while pieces of the ragman were carefully collected and sent to his friends at home. He was at length enabled to again

join hia companion in another cycling tour. They reached Kilbirnie after narrowly escaping collision with a passing tram, and ruthlessly murdering several harmless dogs who had been taking a nap on the roadway. But there wasn’t half enough excitement in this kind of thing, and one of our friends, in order to introduce <i little nation into the proceedings, proceeded to ••take” a five-barred gate. The fence is still there, also pieces of the bike, and onco more the heroic bagman had to bo cai efully put together. The collision has seriously damaged what has been universally recogS : sod as a countenance of unusual attractiveness. He’ll bike no more, and the usual raffle will bo held shortly.

If a track is not laid in Wellington, Muir will not raco next season. But in tho event of the alternative, ho will most probably be “ all there.”

Mr G. M. Yerex has just received a small shipment of Spaulding bicycles from the United States. A local rider, who, by-tho-way, is employed by an opposition cyclo rigent, speaks very highly of them after giving one a week’s trial.

A London cable message spates that the Pneumatic Tyro Company has purchased Singer and Co.’s cycle w-erks at Coventry for .£1,000,000.

Messrs Luke and Sons, of Manners street, have been appointed agents for the RudgeWhitworth cycles, and a shipment will shortly arrive.