NOTES BY DEMON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2082, 18 January 1894, Page 33

NOTES BY DEMON.

A largely-attended meeting of tho Dunedin CycliDg Club was held in tho club room on Monday evening, members of both the General and Sports Committee being prcseut. Captain Crow was hi the chair. A lot of business was got through in connection with tho coming race meeting, to be held on the 27th of this month. Inter alia, it was decided that either general entries be taken for the meeting, the entrance fee being Bs, covering all events, or entries be taken for single events at 2s, at the option of intending competitors. A very handsome trophy, valued at £4 4s, was received from Mr William Melville, to whom the thanks of the club are due, and also to Dr Fulton for a very liberal donation to the funds. Training operations are reported to be in full swing, and, judging by the entries already forward, the events should be well contested.

Racing men are again settling down to work on the track in anticipation of the Dunedin Cycling Club's annual race meeting on Saturday, 27th inst. A number of new riders are to be brought out at this meeting, and from what I have seen'of their work these aspirants to> fame should in time develop into speedy racers. Those I have seen on the track are F. M'Kechnie, S. Brugh, Lethaby, and Frederic. With these riders and others racing, I expect to see the Novice Race one of the most interesting on the programme.

The members of the Dunedin Cycling Club made a run to Waitati last Saturday. Notwithstanding the heat and the hills, 11 riders managed to arrive at tho Saratoga in good time for tea. After a spell the riders, led by the captain of the club, Mr G. Crow, reluctantly turned their backs on charming Waitati, and made a very enjoyable run home in tho cool of the evening. Mr Herbert Stroud, an English cyclist, now on a visit to New Zealand, was accommodated with a bicycle and accompanied the riders in their afternoon's spin.

J. Currie informs me that he is not satisfied with his Dunedin to Invercargill record, and ib is his intention to try and reduce it by some hours at Easter time.

On Saturday afternoon Mr Sanders, captain of the Balclutha Cycling Club, intends to attempt the breaking of the Henley record of lhr 13min made by R. Emmerson. He has asked the committee of the Dunedin Cycling Club to make the necessary arrangements for the trial, and expects to be within record time at the finish. On Monday, 29 bh insb., he starts for Invercargill with the intention of breaking Curries record from Dunedin to Invercargill.

The Pioneor Bicycle Club made a profit of about £25 on their race meeting on Boxing Day. At a recent meeting of the committee of the club the question of holding another race meeting in February was considered, but deferred till a future meeting.

The North Obago Cycling Club hold a race meeting on Thursday, March 1. Tho prize money amounts to £60 — an increase of £10 on laet year's mpney. The One-mile Championship of New Zealand is to be run at the meeting.

On Monday a one-mile bicycle race between Messrs C. H. Jones and J. B. Norris, who tied for Mr D. Bowerman's cup at the Pioneer Bicycle Club's sports on Boxing Day, was decided at Lancaster Park, Christchurcb, in the presence of about 100 spectators. Jones started from the 20yds mark and Norris from the 120 yds mark. When two laps had been completed, Jones had only gained about 50yds on Norris, who won by between 40yds and 50ydg. The tirao was 2rnin 31^3ec.

—On November 9, J. S. Johnson, the American, rode a mile from a standing start in lmin 58Jsec, and on November 20, J. P. Bliss got within three-fifths of a second of this time.

An American has invented a chain which specialists who have seen ib believe will do much to overcome the so-called stretching, which is really wear, in chains, and which is their chief drawback. Each link of this chain is adjustable as to its pitch in seven grades, consequently the chain has seven times the life of an ordinary chain for this reason alone, apart from others, and further, will be a thorough working chain throughout the whole of its life. Each wearing part of bhe chain can be hardened right out, as there is no riveting, which further increases the length of life of the chain, and which cannot be done in riveted chains on account of the ductility required for rivetiDg the pins. Ib is detachable at any link, so that a link, or links, can be pub ia or taken out at> any point in thu chaiu with gruat facility, anil above all, it can be produced at a moderate price.

Continuously does the old feelii'g against the negro break out in Am&rira, particularly in cycling matters ; the brotherhood of the wheel

nob working when questions of colour arise. Quite a row was caused at a cycling procession at Sb. Louis because one bold black had the audacity to join in. Preparations were made to duck him, but he wisely vanished. An international conference of representatives from England, Scotland, and Ireland was held in London on November 20, for the consideration of a licensing scheme for Scotlam! and Ireland. The result of the conference was that it was decided that if each country adopts and carries oub a licensing scheme, the following shall be the bases of agreement : — Firstly — Each country to recognise all licenses granted by each of the other countries. Each country, however, to have the power to have the question whether any particular license should be continued referred to a committee to be called the International Licensing Committee, formed of one representative from each country ; the decision of a majority of the committee to be absolutely final, and to be accepted by the three countries, but without prejudice to the right of the country which granted the license to revoke it. Secondly — the committee to meet when and where necessary. As to championships, the conference considers, in tho case of Eugland, Scotland, and Ireland, international team races should be held each year, and that it is better that the races should bo held between each two countries than between the three altogether. It is understood that the championship races of each country bo open to riders from each of the other countries.

One hundred and fifty pounds a week is what a star American record breaker 16 calculated to cost his machine-makers when he is in full swing. This includes pacemakers, manager, and all sundry expenses.