CYCLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 32

CYCLING.

NOTES BY DEMON.

Mr W. Melville, bicycle importer of Georgo stroet, has just landed two Raglan racers— one for the path and the other for the road. The machines are beautifully finished and fitted with -the latest Dunlop tyres. The machines will bo of interest to cyclists, as being the first to arrive in Now Zealand fitted with the latest and most perfect tyres. The tyres for both road and path racers have so much improved of late that the Dunlop Tyre Company have recalled a tyre named the '94- Dunlop issued earlier in the year, and those just landed stand as the "up-to date" tyres for the '94 season. The roadster Dunlop remains the same as last year, but the road and path racing tyres are of an improved pattern, The Palmerston Cycling Club held a smoke concert on the llth inst., and during the evening the prizes won at the bicycle races held on the Queen's Birthday were presented. Dr Hislop, one of the vice-presidents of the club, occupied the chair, and Mr Weir, an old wheelman, officiated as vice. After some speech-making ,and toasting the prizes were presented as follows : — Mile Race — It Dreaver (silver-mounted clock), 1 ; G. Sutherland (silver locket), 2; W. M'Leod, 3. Nine-mile Race — A. Battersby (silver watchchain), 1 ; O. O'Neill (clock), 2 ; A. Gilmoro (sack of flour), 3 Consolation Race— J. Sutherland (draught board and lady's hand bag), 1; J. Culling (bag of coal), 2. Mr Clark (the captain) was also presented with the silver medal he won in the first race, and Mr M. M'Leod, who was second, acknowledged having received a trophy —a watchchain. „ The .following toast list was gone through : — "The Queen and Her Majesty's Representative, the Earl of Glasgow," proposed by the chairman; "Succcess to Cycling," proposed by the vice-chairman, and responded to by Mr D. M'Leod; "Successful Competitors," proposed by the chairman, and responded to by the prizewinners; "Kindred Sports," proposed by Mr D. M. Findlay and responded to by Mr White; " Unsuccessful Competitors," proposed by the Chairman and responded to by Mr A. G. Dreaver ; " The Ladies," proposed by Mr Lawson, and responded to by Mr Hawkins ; " The Press," " The Hostess," and " The Chairman and Vice-chairman," all of which were suitably acknowledged. During the evening songs and recitations were contributed by Messrs D. Findlay (recitation), Hawkins. White, Milne, Lawson. Mooney, Oswald, and others ; and Messrs Oswald and Clark played a duet (violin and piano), and Mr Bruco and Mr D. Findlay another duct (violin and piano), The tables were very tastefully laid out, and the gathering proved in every sense a most enjoyable one, and the members of the Palmerston Cycling Club are to be congratulated' on the success of their first smoke concert.

Mr Edwards, one of the vice-presi-dents of the Palmerston Cycling Clvb f in tendering his resignation to the club, wrote as follows:— "I beg to apologise for my absence to-night, and I desire to express my sorrow for being deprived of youu companionship at the smoke concert, which I hope will be a success, and be the means of cementing the members in the closer bonds of unionism ; for while young men congregate and keep company for the purpose of manly and physical sports, there will be little danger of vice or unmanliness taking possession of their characters. This is one reason why I have patronised the club from its birth, and now that it is fairly well-grown and in good health, I think I may be allowed to retire and make room fdr another. Indeed, I may say that I desire to retire, as I find my official duties often clash with this, and it is questionable whether it is wise to try to do justice to both private and absolute duties. Kindly, therefore, accept my resignation." The resignation was accepted, with regret. s

The Palmerston cyclists have come undec the notice of the Waihemo Comity Council. At the meeting on Wednesday, 13th inst., Cr Matheson drew attention to the practice of cyclists and drivers of vehicles riding and driving along the [county roads at night without having lights, and commented on the danger attending the practice to horsemen and others. He asked if the council could not pass a by-law making provision for cases of the kind, as a serious accident might at any time happen, and who would be responsible ? The Chairman expressed thu opinion that the evil could be dealt with under the Police Offences Act, but thought that in the meantime, at all events, it would be sufficient to check it if attention was called to it through the press. Cb Matheson remarked

4

that when coming to Palmerston the other day ] he met 20 to 30 bicycles on the Shag Valley road, and in place of the bicycle rider getting out of the way, he (Or Matheson) had to pull up on one side of the road. He did not so much complain of this, as he understood that a race was being decided, but he certainly considered that both riders of bicycles and drivers of vehicles at night ought to be compelled to carry lights in the interests of public safety. It is said that E. Reynolds, the Auckland cyclist, will, after his return from Sydney, where he has gone for a trip, start a cycling agency in Napier.

The Americans (writes "Cyclofile" in the Sydney Referee) have created a Colour Regulation department on the Australian lines. In this, as in racing for "cash prizes," the American cyclists have left it to Australia, in the person of the Melbourne Bicycle Club, to set an example. This club is the introducer of both to cycling. In this ctolony, as in South Australia, both systems have for some time been in use. As time goes on it will be found that both will be adopted throughout the cycling world. "Philibuster," in the Australasian, writes: "There is some talk of Zimmerman coming to Australia in the spring to compete in the Austral Wheel Race. Zimmerman is the acknowledged champion of the world, and he has won more prizes than any other rider living. He intends leaving America for France, where it is thought he will forego the so-called amateurism under which he rode, and compete for cash prizes. It is said that Pope and Harris, the splendid English riders, will also visit Melbourne should a sufficient sum be guaranteed them for expenses The Melbourne Club, however, while it pays all its prizes in cash, will not give a penny towards any man's expenses, because the rules forbid it on the grounds that paying expenses spells "professionalism." If any great riders want to come here they must pay their own expenses. One of the prizes given at the recent cycle races at Oporto was a silk handkerchief, embroidered by the Queen of Portugal, who herself presented it to the happy winner.

Zimmerman, the champion cyclist of the world, has ridden his last race as an amateur, and has arrived in Paris to ride as a "pro." Before he left America £1000 was deposited in a bank to his credit, and, provided that he remains in the front ranks, he is assured of £3000 per year, A day or two after his arrival in Paris he attended a race meeting, and as soon as he entered the enclosure the immense crowd gave him a great ovation. They were not satisfied until he went to the fence and shook hands with many in the crowd. It is anticipated that his first appearance on the track will arouse the wildest enthusiasm.

America favours all sorts of ideas for assisting record-breakers to make faster times. J. S. Johnson now practices on a track with a fence on the inside, and on top of this fence run two iron bars which carry a grooved wheel, attached to which is a large fan. This extends over the track, and is made to move round in front of the rider who wishes to break recotds, the wheel being drawn by a racehorse at a lmin 50sec pace By tke aid of this moving fan the rider is sucked along in the vortex, and it is expected will soon put up some startling times. The tax on cycles in France amounted to 681,600f r for the seven months of last year during which the tax was in operation. Cyclists have to contribute lOfr for each machine.

— — An overhead track is talked of between St. Paul's and Minneapolis. It is to be for the use of cyclists alone, and electrically lighted, so that night riding will be possible. It is estimated to cost about £3000 per mile.

" They will sacrifice everything to speed; if I were to start to-morrow and* make heavier machines, I might as well put up my shutters." So said Mr Wright, a Liverpool cycle manufacturer, in his'evidence before the coroner's jury who sat to inquire into the death of a police constable named Enoch Lawton, who lost his life through a fall from a bicycle while racing at the Police Athletic grounds. The unfortunate man, it appears, was under the impression that in a previous contest he had been beaten because one of his opponents had a lighter machine than his own, and he insisted on having a bicycle weighing 251b, although he was a man of ll£st. The track he rode on was a cinder one, and was in splendid condition, and the accident occurred through the strain on the machine, which, in the language of an eye witness, was being ridden at a tremendous rate. The steel tubing, described as being as "thin as a wafer," simply snapped in half, for there was no fault in the brazing. Lawton had been cautioned by the maker as to the risk he ran in riding so light a machine, yet he preferred to run that risk for the sake of saving eight or nine ounces in th« weight of the tubing. Such unfortunate occurrences might surely be avoided (says the Daily News) if the National Cyclists' Union were to prevent competitors in cycle races from obtaining an advantage over their competitors by a foolhardy risk of their lives.

• At a town in California a number ot police are mounted on bicycles. These men serve subpoenas and notices to jurjrmen, and also answer special telephone inquiries.

— — Zimmerman expresses the greatest confidence in his ability to. successfully cope with the professional fliers of the Old World. He believes that his career as a professional will be just as brilliant as his career as an amateur. He says that he expects to have by no means an easy time of it in the professional arena, " I realise," he said, "that every rider I meet will set his heart and soul on beating me, and will do his utmost to accomplish the feat. They will not be actuated by a spirit of malice, for I am friendly with them all, but because they know that by defeating me they will gain 1 prestige and money. Being aware of this, I will train as I never did before, and do my best to keep the cycling championship in America."