LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1688, 29 March 1884, Page 19

LAND AND WATER.

CYCLING. NOTES BYTEDALPIN. Last week's events were, owing to bad weather,' few in number. Some energetic men were out a, good deal training, aud a lot of hard work was done by them in preparation for the Athletic! Club's sports. - The track at the- Cariabrook was in anything but good condition after" alt' the rain, and times on Monday were couie ' auently slow. Those who started in'thetWo events should after this' not be' afraid of any' winter riding} as even in''it3 worst'slato the' road could hardly rival the Cariabrook track. It is no use finding fault with, the track,' however, as many, men are apt to-do, andgrowling because tho Company, cannpt ace their way to put down a best' cinder-track at once. The Carisbrook men have done a, lot of work —first, of course;- for their beloved cricket, and afterwards for, other sports, and instead of blame, arts worthy pf praise for their work. Tho grouud cost a large sum to put into its present condition, 'and from what I can hear is likely to cost a 'lot more before the Ground' Company will rest content. It is quite true, also, as numbers of athletic men say, that we cyclists are few in, number, aud should wait our turn, till the majority get served. lam afraid that cyclists have themselves to blame for this, for out of the whole number of members of the Athletic Club I do not think there are 40 cyclists—or about ,oneniuth part. Could not the Cyclists' Club combine to guarantee a rental for a path," if laid down ? The making would mean the expenditure of a considerable sum of money, and unless, at any rate, a portion of the interest wore guaranteed, cyclists can hardly expect just yet to get all they want. As to the talk about refusing to race on the grass, the man who talks in that strain must just please hitnsel; but I fancy the majority of our racing men are of a stamp that will make the be»t of any difficulties which now exist, and do iheir best to help, instead of hinder, any attempt to push forward amateur athletics in all branch* s in Dunedin. > The \> ladicaps, ot course, have given some dissatisfaction, especially after the races are over. I have no doubt that th<3 handicapper can see as plainly as anyone that the handicaps might have bean improved, and in the next handicap he has to frame will make things a little livelier for the scratch-man. > Tho Carnival sports to-day should prove a great attraction if the weather keeps fine, but I am very much afraid that the Club drill will be unable to come off, as the turf in the-centra of the ground is very soft, and will mako smart work impossible. The . racing should be fair, aud the bicycle versus tricycle will at anyrate be comical, but the Coininitree might safely have given the tricycles more than a lap start, as a racing bicycle is fully a minute better than a roadster tricycle in a mile. As coslumes are to be the rule in this race, I suppose some allowance will also be made for the vagaries of the riders, for in last Carnival in, the costume race nevoral accidental blocks occurred. > The files of Home papers with Stanley show accounts are not yet to, hand, so anxious readers must wait a little longer tor the prices of the show. I hops to give a fairly-complete description, but of course cannot fill up the columns of the Witness with an advertising' circular. A MYSTIC MA.NIA. Ah ! woo is me, tho oid man said, Iv acceuts full of s>uduet!S ; Mino only sin must be bewitched, Or Beiztd by some strange madness; Erstwhile his leisure wa3 employed TUiouijhout the summer season In bicycling without a pause — But now, without apparent cause, 0 He disregards 'lomestic laws, Ai.d niu »t ha\ c )o*t nii reason ! His conduct, when at home, iq such As drives hU pirents frantic; Hia mother weeps wheuiver he Discloses 8 >me new antic. He po 04 on the mantelpiece, And soniorsots the taoio; , , The \ oleer and the tongs he flings About his head, and sometimes springs ' From yriiidow-sillg, an 1 goes and swings, Hand-downwards in the stable. i The clothes-line ho will p'ait and knot, And in the garden take it, A»j<l to the end around a post, Ende^ ourir.g to break ib; Ho pUuts hia teet upon th« ground. And' pull-> for hour» together ; Ho leaps across the garden walls, , And hurts himself by sundry falls, And 'ruba'bfa arms for what he calls A " bicep toughas leather." He oubnces upon the backs Of p.irlour chairs, and tumbles i Ah uc the houss, and disregard* His i a-onts* sichs and crumbles ; Tbe I ou>e is in a conbtant state Ol turmoil, but, di-daininsj T put an end to these ataiim, lie dwvl'u upjn tho inauy uhaims > Attending t.ne assault-al-auu-, f For which he is in traiulog ! ' -Bicycling World.