THE WHEEL

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3007, 19 December 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE WHEEL

The ‘Wellington Cash Cycling Club is to be congratulated upon the result of its meeting on .Saturday. The officials worked hard, and the gathering passed off without a hitch. There was an accident or two certainly, but these are always liable to happen. The limit men had n lot to say in most of the events, and those behind found it pretty sultry work trying to catch them. Campbell, of Auckland, had a mortgage over the "One-mile First-class Handicap, and won both his heat and the final. F. Chaincy, of Christchurch, was runner-up in the latter, but did not have much show. Chainey had a shot at the Second-class Mile later, and got home in the third heat, but in the final Wither* wheeled in in front of Goodall.

The Half-mile Handicap- was quick and lively, and there was no delay on the road. J. A. Lisle won the first heat off 70 yards, and subsequently got home in the final from Withers and Forbes. Hunt was a starter for this event, and annexed the second heat. He is in very good form just now. Withers and Forbes both won heats, but Lisle proved too good for them in the heat upon which the money hung.

The Lord Glasgow Wheel Race, the big event of tho day, was well contested, Adnams had a lap start, and appropriated the first heat from Rutland and Chainey. In the final it was obvious that he had too much advantage, and he secured tho fifteen guineas. Goodall got into the final, and ran second, getting home in front of Lisle. Hunt, the scratch man, had apparently far too much to make up, and he took ao part in the finish worth mention* ing.

The I’ivn-milo Invitation Scratch Race looked a moral for Barker, and so it .proved. Hunt and Sherwood wore among the other starters, but tho last-named had no possible ohance, and when his two opponents went away at the finish lie was unable to respond. It was Barker’s only win during the day, and it was popular. The lap prize fell to Hunt.

The Napier Club’s sports, held on Saturday, were most successful. A number of Wellington riders took part, Fitzgerald annexing the Half-mile and Three-mile Open, and P. Castle the Five-mile Roadster, The Ton-mile McLean Cup fell to Caughloy, a very promising rider, who is fast and can stay. Reynolds, of Auckland, went down for an event or two, and he had a picnic ride in both the Ladies’ Bracelet and One-mile Hawke’s Bay Provincial Championship. Hia exhibition mile subsequently in 2min 19 3-6seo was •done in record time despite bad pacing. The Napier track is eminently suited for record clipping, being one of the best in the colony. .

Accidents in races are of very common occurrence on the other aide, and it is a wonder some of them don't result fatally. At the last St. Hilda (Melb.) wheel races a serious mishap occurred in the Five-mile Scratch in the last lap but one. Thirteen riders were then travelling at full speed, and when opposite the grand stand Turner fell, bringing eight others down in«a heap. Alt the riders emerged sound in limb, although many were badly grazed and out. Parsons, who was in the middle of the heap, sustained a bad wound in the shoulder. The attenuated field of five riders then remaining was reduced still further by Matterson dropping out, but the other four finished close together, Walne winning from Carpenter. One of the most striking figures on the track was a back-blocks cyclist who went to the post in a black boxer hat, a blue, un-mistakably-fominiae blouse and a pair of partially-ditto linen knickers. A homemade turn-out. The tallest rider was the N.S.W. man Jinks. On account of his lengthy legs and the extended, frame of bis machine, he Was known as High Jinks. Hamlin and Alberts, the Coolgardio cyclists, were altogether outclassed by the Easterners. "Give us a stumpy camelpad,” said the first-named as he strode off the ground, “and I'll have a cut at any cf you t’other-sidors; but you’re a lot ahead of mo on the tracks.”. An Australian cycle insurance company has been formed. Machines are insured against theft and damage by collision on payment of a small annual premium. A match between W. Martin and a Coolgardio cyclist, said to be running in the interests of a W.A, millionaire, is on the tapis. The road suggested is that from Adelaide to Melbourne, a distance of 585 miles, and tho stakes’ are .£IOOO a-sido. It was alleged that Martin arranged the preliminaries when in Queensland for a much better match than this, and that a certain heiress had a half-share in the stake.

Objection was recently taken by the Melbourne Sunday Schools Association to the holding of cycle church parados on Sunday, as they affected the attendance of Sunday school scholars, and an appeal was made to the league to discontinue such parades. The league council seemed to think that there was another weighty reason for the discontinuance, viz.,” the paucity of the collection and the reflection thereby oast on cyclists. Still another complaint has been voiced in Adelaide, where a large parade was got up on the invitation of the minister and less than one-third entered the church. The executive committee, to whom the matter was referred, has expressed the opinion that it is not part of the league’s duty either to grant or refuse patronage to church charities.

. The exciting pastime of " holding up ” cyclists seems to be growing in popularity in the United States. One of the last recorded outrages occurred within hail of the lights of New Brunswick. The cyclists in question - Jessup and Thompson by name—were approaching the city when the unexpected inci lent occnrod. As it was raining slightly, says the JYetr York JTerald, and very dark, the pair decided to ride in. get their dinner, and lake a train for New York. They were going slowly past a bush when a couple ol men rushed out, and, seizing the wheels, compelled the riders to dismount. Then,

while one of the assailants stood guard over the victims with a revolver, the other rifled their pockets, obtaining about lOdols and two gold watches. Jessup had a loaded revolver in his pocket, bat was too frightened to use it. The robbers took that with the other booty. “We’d take your wheels too, sonnies, if we coold ride,” one of the robbers said, “ but wc haven’t had time yet to master the art,’*

The Cycling Hews tells of a plucky rider, who ia also author of A book of poetry^ 44 Khymea from the Mines, and other Lines, * to bo published this month * —“ Mr Edward Dyson, better known to the public as * Silas Snell/ started from the city on Odp day to , see tho great race. tts was mounted on a; bicycle, and, going down a steep bill on Flemingtou road, tho Chain brokfc, and Dyson got a very nasty fall. I'ho left arm was lacerated almost from tb* shoulder to the wrist. After hwing it bandaged in a house, to which ho was taken, and tho machine roughly fixed up, Dyson mounted it> And made for home again. When crossing the Queen’s Bridge a man fan up from the Yarra bank, shouting an alarm that a boy was drowning in tho river. Without hesitation the injured cyclist jumped from bis machine, and, throwing off his coat, plunged into the stream at the Queen’s Wharf, near which a boat was floating bottom and a boy struggling in the water/’

It seems that’*'before the rescuer could roach him the lad was swept under the piles of the wharf, where Dyson could not get at him. Ho therefore had to leave the water, run along the wharf for nearly a hundred yards, and jump into the river again. With some difficulty he succeeded in reaching the boy, and swam with him towards tho stone steps at the bridge. When within a dozen yards Dyson’s injured arm suddenly became paralysed. The other was supporting the unconscious lad, .and the btave rescuer had either to let him drown or both/einktogether. Fortunately at this juncture help came in the shape of a boat hook, held by a man on the wharf, and both Dyson and tho boy were safely landed. The former at once took a cub home for himself and machine, and the driver insisted on charging Dyson quadruple rates because his dripping garments wet the cushions. Such is life 1”

The match between Morin and Jacqueiin, for the cycling championship of France, has been a dismal failure. According to the account that Itcutor gives, Morin won the first heat by superior “ jockoyship/* and succeeded in getting Jncqnelin fined £2O for fouling him. In tho second heal both riders fell, and Morin was carried off tho track insensible. —“ Silvorspur ** in tho N. 55. Mail.