OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2245, 11 March 1897, Page 36

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

NEWS, GOSSIP. AND ADS.

Mr Ben Tillett returned from the Lakei District on Monday evening.

There are 14 folioitors practising in PalmerBton North. Seven years ago there were five-

The third examination of surveyors under the Land Act 1b to be held on the 18th March.

The Stock department has now six men employed laying pollard poison on the Gabriel's commonage.

A full-grown black ostrich is 7ft high, and easily carries on its baok, with the speed of a horse, a man of average *ize.

The establishment of a rabbit factory comewhere between Eweburn and Hyde, probably in the neighbourhood of Kohonga, is being talked about.

A new volunteer infantry company has been formed in Wellington, to be known as the Kelburne Rifles, after the name of Lord Gl»«gow's eldest son.

An outbreak of typhoid fever has occurred at Hnwera. Fifteen or 16 oases are recorded, due, it is stated, to insanitary conditions which prevail in the borough.

The Government have decided in re the South episode to give Sergeants Gamble and M'Mahon retiring compensation to the extent of one year's pay.

Last week 7039 tons were shipped from We*tport, of whioh the W*-stport Coal Company (hipped 6358 tons 17cwt and the Cardiff Company 680 tone 14owt.

Duricg a violent thunderstorm at Liimora (N.S.W.), a girl named Tanish was struck by a branch of a tree, which had been wrenched off by tbe wind, and killed. The New Plymouth Cycling Club held » church parade on Sunday, but the wet weather spoiled it, only 33 cyclist* attending. The Rev. F. G. Evan* (Anglican) gave an appropriate address.

According to the Southland News, despite reduced prices a large number of sheep are finding their way to the Ocean Beaoh Freezing Works. Since operations began three weeks ago about 25,000 head have been put through, *nd latterly the average has been 1200 per day. The Mount Ida Chronicle «ay* that Mr W. J. Millar, Eweburn, has just erected on his land about a mile from the home a small windmill to raise water for his stock. The pump can ruise sgal a minute, and will no doubt provo of great value iv times of drought. Mr Millar intends to ereot *everal other small windmill* ia suit&ble spots.

A good deal of damp and tough wheat i», says the North OUgo Time*, coming into town. This is the result of the recent dump and miity weather. Holler mill* oau do nothing with this tort of wheat, and "ft h«» to be dried before it is fit to use. Had the grain boon stacked before threshing, a few weeks would have seen it in a proper milling condition.

The North Otsgo Times says :— "There han evidently been oume misundernUndiug about tha area of the Total's, estate, which ha* been sold in small blocks for farming settlement during the past two or three mouth*. This magnificent estate compriee* nearly 12,000 aor«s, and some 400 aores have been actually sold at highly sufcisfaotory figures during the time fpecißed. There are, however, negotiations for other block*. .Our oantemporary olairnt this to be due to the ' good, offices of the Hon. John M'KeDisie,' but when we remember that the Hon. John M'Kenzio is the owner of He»tbfisld, comprising nearly 1900 aores, and pnctically the owner of Busby Park, of nearly 2500 acres, and tho receiver of a petition from 89 intending settler* for Bushy Park to be thrown open for closer settlement, wo mtisb come to the conclusion, aa every other rightthinking person must, that ' the Rood officoe' of the houourablo gentleman in the interests of providing land for tbe people aro of a vanuhing and t ffervescing character." Tho Woodville Examiner of a late date contains an iutereutiug account of tho Colonial Ammunition Company* work* *t Auckland. From thi* we learn that during 1896 in the manufacture of bullet* for the sl»r6ini-Henri rifle 42 miles of rod lead were pas»ed through tha bullet machine, and 110 mile* of " patching paper " wa* wrapped round the bullets made out of the above 42 mile* ot rod lead. In the same year 135 miles of br*s« -004 in thick (which would* t*ko 250 thiokoeaie* to make an inch) w»b cut to length of ca«e to raanuf»cture Martini- Henri ca»e». One hundred and thirtyflve miles of tissue paper in leogfch w*b cub and ehellaced on insida of abov* M.-H. cases, the paper being 17in wide. Forty-two miles of brass 'OOSin thick was nsed to manufacture the "deep base" cups of the above cMei. Fortytwo miles of brass -014 in thick wa* used to manufacture the " shallow baao " cups of the above case*. The miloa of narrow, thick brown paper used to m*ke the wadg for the rifle cartridges is beyond our oount. Bach M.-H. cartridge goes through 129 operationn before ifc is ready for use, and after that testing operations have to be gone through. From five to 20 cartridges in each 1000 made are taken for testing, the testing operations numbering from six to eight. M.-H. carbine cirtridgos are loaded with 70gr of R F G. 2 powder, and the bullets weigh 410gr. Tbe M.-H. rifle cartridge hns 85gr powder nnd a bullet weighing 485gr. The works are capable of turning out 8,000,000 military cartridge* a year, and be idle half the time for repairs to the machinery. Mr Whitney mentioned the f«ct that the Snider rifle bullet is the most difficult of *ny to make, owing to the two chambers in the head and base, the former of which is completely dosed by the lead being «pun over it, the latter being filled with a conical plug which ferces the bulleb to expand and fill the groove* of the tifie.

DO YOU SUFFER from LIVER COMPLAINT, INDIGESTION, CONSTIPATION, HEARTBURN, FLATULENCE,

Or any symptoms of a disordered digestive apparatus ? If bo, there is no remedy in the world so safo and nure to give relief ss Fletcher's Pills and Clements Tonic. Don't be misled into wastiog time and money on »ny of the "all-failing" noitrums bo speciously advertised by designing qu"cks and dishonest rogues. Remember, these two remedies have stood the test of time, that their merits are proved, and that a few shilling* invested on them may savo you weeks and months of »uffering, and perhaps pounds of expense, for they have done bo in hundreds of cages, and we will send you evidencs to prove our as»ertions on receipt of your name and address. Remember, delay is dangerous, and that every hour yon neglect your case the complication increases and a cure becomes more difficult. Shun the cheap quack doctors and designing nostrum corupounders; stick to the remedies Clements Tonic and Fletcher's Pills. They are absolutely genuine, and have proved their efficacy in hundreds of cases, and will do so every time. They are sold everywhere, and made only by V* M. Clements. Newtown, Sydney.

ANSWER TO CORRESPOND KNT.

Bicycle. — Tho old ordinary v, as you presume, the m»cHine of the big wheel and the little one ; but both wheels have ball bearings, and these machines, though now out of date, cannot be bought for tho sum you mention. I will let you have further information regarding the price at •which these machines can be bought lifter on, and thank you for your kiud offer regarding information on matters of sport in your district.

NOTES BY DEMON.

The annual road race of the Otago Cycling Club was held on Saturday last, the route beiDg from Mrs O'Kane's, Mo.<]giel, through Riccarton, Allanton, and Oatram, and back to Mosgiel—about 16 miles. There were 11 starters, and the winner turned up in J. Young (0.C.0., 4min), T. B. Christie (W.T.CC, 4 2 Lmin) being second, and C. J. Home (0.C.C., 3£min) third. J. Smith, J. Henderson, and W. Begg were the only others who finished, while Minn, Tonkinaon, Eg^ers, and Symes figured among the " also starteds." The best thaulm of the club are due to several members of the D.C.C., who had gone out to do a bib of pacing, and, with sportsmanlike spirit, generously lent their machines to members of the rival club who had mishaps by the way.

A large number of riders were out to witness the start and the finish of the road race last Saturday, the Danedin Club, under the charge of Captain Boot, holding an official run in connection with the race. The run out was all fair, but the ride home was, by reaion of the strong head wind, one of a remembrance. At times riding was almost impossible, and many a rider was weary and thankful when home was reached. A few stayed out and returned home the next day. These few no doubt thought during the evening of the hard work their brothers of the wheel were making on their way home, and congratulated themselves on being out of that ; but what a change when they had to ride home ia a Boaking rain and against a strong • wind ! There are reports of broken chains and other breakage going about, and those who got home on Saturday are now having the satisfac\tion of quietly putting iv a word in season to fctose who, not so fortunate as themselves, had to come home in the rain and wind of next day. . Perhaps the most prominent or tnis season's new riders is J. A. Young, wto>Ust SSudav won the Ofcasro Cvolinir Club'a B«»d

Race from Mosgiel and back. He has raced for only a few months, and has shown a wonderful aptitude for solid work His win ou Saturday, an easy one it appeared to me, coming so soon on top of his winning the Dunedin Club Road Race on the. previous Saturday, led people to talk and take a particular intevoet in this rider, who has, I am inclined to think, nob yet been seen at his best. Properly trained and guided next season he should make a prominent figure on the raciDg path, and I wish him success

The first six rider* in the Otago Club's Road E,aoe last Saturday arrived within the space of two and a-quarter minutes. Christie, who arrived second, cinne in 35iec behind Young, with Home, the next man, 15sec behind. The fastest time, 51min 45* ec, was made by the winner, J. Young, who secures the prize given by his club. There were two or three spills in the race, and three riders punctured.

A cycling carnival is to be held at Alexandra on May 24. Five ridera — D. White, B. Batemnn, C. Cogan, A. Honie, and H. Wilson — presented themselves for a record ride from Wedrierburn to Naseby. The weather did nofc favour a faafc run, as a steady N.E. wind set in and blew with increasing force during the whole of the ride. The rider* drew for places, which were in the order given above. Mr Monk acted as starter. For & run of nine miles ami a-half the results were very close. Hosie, in tbe pink of condition, managed to head the list with l£min to spare. Tbe following is the time taken by the judge, Mr Keele : — mm. sec. A. Hosie 50 8 E. Bateman 51 38 D. White 52 16 H. Wilson 52 5<S O. Cogan 50 52 The road race to Waitahuna and back took place on Wednesday, 3rd inst., White scr, Cox and S. Arthur 2£min, Ellman 4min, E. Tamblyu and G. Walker simm competing. The start was from the Town Hall at half- past 3 o'clock. S. Arthur obtained the lead and reached the bridge at Waitahuna firsr, with Walker second, Cox third, M'Kinlay fourth, and White fifth. Ou the return journey Cox passed Arthur about a mile and a-half on this side of tbe bridge and came in an easy winner in 49min 4sec. S. Arthur was second by the length of the street, and White was third. White gained a minute on the winner's time. The wiud was very much against good time being made.

! At the Invercargill Police Court on the ! 2ndinst. 10 cyclists, including one lady rider, | were charged with having ridden bicycles in the streets of the town after dark without lights. I Inspector Cheyne said that some months ago a number of cyclists had been cautioned for this offence, but they now seenvd to have taken possession of the town. All admitted their offence, but pleaded various txcuses. One of those charged stated that his light had just gone out when Inspector Cheyne saw him ; another that a lady companion who was ridiug in front had a light on her bicycle, which he thought would suffice for both ; while the lady I who was charged with the offence, and for ! whom Mr Henderson appeared, stated that ! when she went out of town during the day she I anticipated being home in daylight, but an accident prevented this. Mr Rawson appeared for one of the number, and found fault with the stringency of tbe bye-Uw?, which he contended inflicted a great hardship on cyclists. At present a cyclist was compelled to have a light at night although it might be bright moonlight, which he considered an absurdity. All that should be required was that cyclists should nob endanger the lives or property of other people, and he thought there was little fear of that. The Magistrate advised the cyclists to get councillors elected who would make bye-laws

more favourable for them, and fined each 5b ; ccsfci 7«. Two othecK, one n lady rider, were each fined 10* (cents 7«; for ridiug bicycles on the footpaths. Both complained of the state of the roads.

It is not many months since the formation of the New Zealand Cyclists' Touring Club, bat the progress made by the club is remarkable and has been of distinct advantage to cyclists in New Zealand. Prosecution has at tbe instance of tbo club beeD vigorously taken up Bnd the right*) of cyclists placed bsjoad a doubt by lfg&l dtcision. A case of local interest was decided at the Police Court here last Thursday, and cyclists will no doubt read the following report of the proceedings with some amount of satisfaction, aud realise the need there is for encouraging the N.Z.C.T C. in their good work :—: —

William Sutton was charged with that while driving on the Blueskin road on February 14, he did not allow room for cyclists to pass. — Defendant pleaded guilty. — Mr Gallaway stated that the case was brought by the Cyoling Touring Club. It did not wish to pie3S for a, heavy penalty, but it wanted the public to know that cyclists had rights on the road just a3 well as other people, and it would be absurd for j them to wavtf for a serious acoideut bafoi c t h«i.v took action. The offenco of 1101 leavir.j* a reasonable portion of the road for any vehicle parsing another was a contravention of the provisions of subsection 13 of section 139 of the "Public Works Act, i 1894." It mißhr, be aupge-ted that the act did not , state upon which side a reasonable portion of the road was to be left, but as the previous portipn of the sectioii made it an oflVuce not to keep auy vehicle on the right or off -side whru passing another v«hicli? it necesvarily followed that the reasonable portion of the road to be loft for aay vehicle passing mu->t b>; on that side which would enable the person controlling the passing vehicle to comply with the act There was room for the cyclistß to pass Mr Sutton's cart on the left or near side, but to have done so would h »ye been to commit a breach of the act. Fortunately, no necideut l-appened upon this occasion ; but there were very few cyclists who had not had narrow escapes. — Air llanlon, who appeared for the defence said that thr defendant was going to Wauati on the day in question. He had liis wife with him, and she was vi-ry delicate and nervous, and to reassu' c her he kept on the wrong side of the road because there was a great embankment on the other side. He did not hear the cyclists coming, and therefore an accident nearly occurred. — Mr Gallaway tnok exception to Mr Haulon's remarks that the cyclists came up noiselessly. They all bad bells and rang them. Had he not been instructed not to press for a penalty he would have proved these facts.— His "Worship stated that defendant had evidently been negligent, but as a heavy penalty was not pressed for, a fine of 5s would be inflicted. The annual sports meeting of the Roxburgh Cycling Club was held on Thursday la»t, 4-th hist., when there vai * fair attendance ot thf public The racing resulted as follows :—: — Half-mile Dash — E. Wafcsou, 40yds. 1; W. W. Clifford, ] 05yds, 2; W. George, 45yds, 3. Time, Imin 11- ec. • Club Race One mile and a-half.— H. Grover, scr, 1 ; W Young, 50yds, 2; J. Michell, 100 yds, 3. Time, 4min 4 2-ssec. 120 yds Flat Handicap.— J. M'Donald, 9yds, 1 ; J. Feathei stone, 7yds, 2; T. Michell, 10yds, 3. Time, 13min 2-ssec. Three-mile Handicap.— E. Watson, 114 yds, 1 ; D. O'Lvary, 130yd e, 2; G. Cox, i3oyds, 3. Time, Bmiii33-ssec. ' 330\ds Flat Handicap.— N. M'Donald, 6yds, 1 ; W. Toms, scr, 2 Time, 41 3-ssec. Two-mile Goldfields Championship. —R. Scolt, 1 ; G. White, 2. Half-mile Flat Handicap. — N. M'Donald, scr, 1 ; J. F-atherstone, 40ydB, 2 ; E. Bennets, 50yds. 3. Tim-;, 2min 6 4-ssec. Five-mile Handicap. — T. Michell, Slßyds, 1 ; G. White, 300 yds, 2 ; D. O'Leary, 200 yds, 3. Time, 13min 38s-ec. One-mile Consolation. — W. George, 64yds, 1 ; D. O'Leary, 81yde, 2. Time, 2min iMgaec. A concert and dance, well attended, wa« held in ths,eYening. Mr Symes, of Alexandra, has patented several improvements to bicycles. First, there is a patent brake attached to the rear wheel, which is worked by pressing the pedals backwards, and there is a contrivance which, when in a race and the rider loses his pedals, still keeph the machine going, the pedals being at a standstill. While the machine is beiDg pushed along the road the pedals do nob revolve. The brake acts automatically. The machine will ! not run nack (wheu being pushed up a hill for in«t»nce), ai on the back movement this brake acts and locks. On a fnir road, when the rider gets up a good speed, he simply stops pedalling, and the machine goes on at the same pace, the feet being stationary on the pedals. , A rider can go down the steepest hill as slowly ss a man can walk, and thould the machine be goibg at a high speed, and there be danger ■ ahead, the brake can be applied and the machine brought to a standstill within the space of 10ft. The whole wotk was done by Mr W. A Scott, of Dunedin^at his Speedwell Cycle Works. The patent can be fixed on to any bicycle, no difference being made in the weight. A strong company is already formed to promote the paten!;. Mr.T. W. Parsons was married recentlyat the Australian Cburch to Miss Belle Russell. Pftrsoiiß visits W.A. early next month, and then, accompanied by his wife, goes to America. Parsons is still under age, and before his marriage told a friend, " I've travelled the world over, have transacted all my own businees for years, but I'm blest if I could get married without my mother's consent." A. C. Edwards and Jack Green, the well-known English riders who recently arrired in Melbourne, ride Simpson machines, lWed with Simp3on chains aud Dunlop tyres. They go where they 'are sent, and only had two or three days' notice of their trip to Australia. They thick Australia a fine country, and are chiefly struck by the price of r rapes. Lesna gets £15 or £20 for every record he breaks. He has already broken several records in Melbourne.

Mr A. Beyer and his brother, Mr A. L. Beyer, have succeeded in lowering the record for the ride from Sydney to Melbourne. They

left Sydney at 9 o'clock on Wednesday morning, and reached Melbourne at seven minutes past 10 o'clock on the following Sunday morning. Their time mi 4 days lhr 7min. They met with very bad weather, and the roads were in a terrible condition, e»peci»lly between Seymour and Melbourne Between these places they were absolutely anfit for riding, and the brothers had to walk 50 miles. The best time from Melbourne to Sydney ia 4- day* Ohr 4-miu.

The Ofcago Cycling Club hold a special general meeting on Friday next , at 8 o'clock, to elect a captain in place of Mr J. Munro, who is leaving Dunedin for West Australia. When the mails to January 13 left England a, strike was in progress amongst tbe men employed at the works of the Pneumatic Tyre Company, Coventry. The o&use of the dissatisfaction was the rato of pay, the average baiug Irom 183 to 26s a, week, and an increase of Id per Lour or 4s 6d per week ws*B asked lor. lv addition to the above the men requested the reinstatement of three who had been discharged. Neither of these demands was granted, and 80 employees left work ou January 8. The strikers based their claim to more money on the ground that thwo woa great disparity between their earnings and the oyole hands at Oovsßtry, aad, further, thty poi;ic to the stupendous profit* of tbo company, publioly announced to amount for tho ourrent year to one and »- quarter million aterliog. In addition to the 80 men there are 400 girls employed. The board intimated that it was willing to consider all applications of any employees and to hear any grievance, but would not lisfct-n to auy demand supported by a threat. This met with no good refculfc.

On tbe occasion of the Swiss Cycle Union* annual championship, which was run on the beautiful roads round Lake Geneva, a resident of Lausanne thought he would be funny, and sprinkled the course with tacks Many tyres vrero injured, and the riders organised themselves into a vigilance committee, pursuing the fuuuy m»n relentlessly uct»,il he •v«s finally brought no c.urfc with 38 C3nn>!&.iufc« lodged against him. The prisoner wa* a mtwi of mean* and of good standing in tho community, but known as an enemy of oyoltsta. He tried to escape by saying that he meant the whole thing as a joke, but tho defeßca didn't work. He was tiued £90 in all, the estimated, damage done bo tha wheels. Michael's trainer, John Jones, who recently returned to England from Jhe United States, was the mun who introduced the brothers Linton and Michael to tha race path. In a conversation with an interviewer Jones gave the following information and a lisb of Michael's records made in Amerioa:~For thu two miles, he broke the world's record at Chicago on October 8. covoiing the diatanoe in 3min 3& 3-sseß. On Novumbt-.i 1 12 h« reduced this ra 3us in 35aec, awd even eclipsed th?re figures two days later on, at. New Orleans, by riding two miles in 3min 33£*ec. The threemile record Michael has beaten three times, his best performance being smin 23sec, at New Orleans, on November 12. This four-milft record he has broken repeatedly, his besb fcirce baing 7min 15soo oa ih« same date. Micliacl'fi ticje is 9miu 7 4-s«ec, which is considerably better than T. Liaton's time for the same distance. Tbe »ix, seven, eight, and nine miles records have been beaten by Miobnei twice in each case, and the 10-mile three times, the best for the latter distance being 18miu 33£aec. The trainer considers that Miohael'd ride of 29 milts 1293 yds in the hour, to which reference was recently made iv this column, Ja his bust performance, and quite equal to Ltnton's ride when the. oircumsfances are considered. The tratfc a* Memphis, where Michael rode, is only six lapi to the mile. " The pa*h is a miserable one to ride upon ; the light was bad, and the pouts at the corners bo close to the track that the rider's head wan coming within half a yard of each po*it, and ha h»d to fcako great care fehab ha did not collide with them." A correspondent writes to a Newcu.itb paper that as » result of cycling he has •' discovered three or four small areas of numbness (atnesthesia) in both hands, this being a form of peripheral neuritis, and it is a di«quieting result from a moderate indulgence of so delightful a form of exerciee." He is anxious to know if others have been airailtrly affected.

The latest; invention in war machines i» designed to carry two rapid-firing gans and four soldiers, with 10,000 rouuds o£ ammunition. The vehicle is driven and the guns are fired by means of a 16-horse power Pennington engine. The wheels are fitted with solid rubber tyre 3, 4in in diameter. The armour is of regulation bullbt-proof thickiiOßß ; the men who are engaged in firing being turther protected by casements. The military suto-car can bo run at any speed up to 45 miles an hour, and the guns regulated to fire the ammunition at a rate varying from 50 to 700 rounds per minute. The telegraph boys of Milwaukee, U.S., recently went out on strike because one of their number was sacked tor refusing to deliver a message on his bike over a muddy roc-d. Tbe machines were the property of tho office, and after the boys bad had a day without thsir mounts they capitulated conditionally on the reinstatement oftheir dituuissed comrade.

It is stated in England that a new pattern frame has been introduced which will reduce the weight of a practical machine to 131b.

The Queen of Italy possesses one of the costliest; bicycles in the world, its wheels beinff made of pure gold. The facb that it was presented to her by a cycling club at MiKu gives tbis beautiful machine additional value. The amount of capital which the English public was invited to subscribe during 1896 in connection with cycle companies was no less than £16,686,000. 'It is an extremely difficult matter to advise very particularly upon the selection of one particular saddle from among the many excellent ones in> the market. What suits one cider is frequently a source of the greatest dis-

comfort to another, so that practical experience is really of more service in selecting some suitable saddle than three columns of theorefcioal advice. Let the saddle be properly adjusted-* which is to say, arranged at such a distance from the crank braoket that pedalling is easy and comfortable, at such a height thitt the foet resb easily on tho pedals and without undue stretching, and at such a tilt that the rider is neither slipping backwards nor forwards, and personal experience will soon ajuist the rider ia discerning whether the saddle already in use is of oorreot and suitable pattern, or whether its unsuitability did not rather lie in the matter of its wrong adjustment.

Very few women, indeed, xide with their saddles at juat the s&mo angle, and though tho difference is frequently so slight as to be scarcely noticeable by the oareless observer, it is just that very slight difference that is of so ranch importance to the rider If the tilt is too great there is great discomfort to the rider, besides the possibility that she may unconsciously emulate the example of a lady in the park a little while ago, slipping, as she did, off tha back of the saddle and alighting in a sitting posture on the ground with an unexpected neatness and dexterity that was almost suggeicivo of a clever circus trick.

If, on the contrary, the tilt is not sufficiently high, the rider finds herself constantly slipping forward in her seat, bo remedy whioh discomfort »he, unoonsciously to herself, stands upon one pedal in order to push herself into a more comfortable position — a'; mode of procedure that, repeated every few yards is most effective in inducing the machine to run in a jerky and spasmodic mtinner.

The Queen gave her countenance to Indies riding the tricycle at a very early stage of, the introduction of that machine. It was while taking her favourite drive along the Newport road in the Isle of Wigiit that sha for the first time saw a lady tiding & tricycle, and she was so much pleased that she ordered two machines to be sent to Osborue for some of her ladies to ride upon. When the more expeditious bicycle came into use, her Majesty looked .Mskanco for a time at ladies riding it ; bub now sho takes tho greatest drlight ia watching tha merry cycling partid* of princesses which start daily from Balmoral in tho amiunn.

Among the curiosities of cycling none can bo more pathetic thau that of a blind cyclinfc, and that a. lady. It is to be seen, however, every day in Washington ; and so well does eh» cycle, and *o unostentatious is her escort and guide, that hut few of th*' onlookers *.t first renliso that it is it sightless lady who in so vigorously pedalling She appearc every day in (ho park aooomuanicd by an attentive young man, wno wheels beside her and keeps one bund on her handle bar To many she only looks like a beginner who is still in need ot assistance. She is, however, a moit enthusiastic oyclist, but blind, and it is ouly by borrowed *ight that she can enjoy her exhiloi'Atspg paitirne. A provincial di.ci/or. who has long been the madictl advi»«r oi tny family (nay* a wellknown woman writer), h*» acquired a reputation in his locality for prescribing dancing for young women whose chief ailment wan lack of vitality. He has invariably put in a word for the terpeichorean art whenever he thought that exorcise would bo of boneflli to the patient. Lately, however, the dear o!d gentleman U»s altered his prescription, tnd instiead of the dHnct he reauifluund-* a biuycle. This medical gentlem»n has not suddenly become *n enthusiast us regards cycling. He has watched with interest the result of the exercise on hi» patients and their friends, and many are the times he catechiseß them with respact to the effects of their long rides. He is a:i old gantUiai&n who has been in praotice for nmyy yeare, and one would think he xvc-uld be somewhat prejudiced, but he, in o mmon with many others — indeed, the generality of the medical profession — is honestly convinced of the bene fits which cycliujy brings in it» train. The fire station is another place into which the whenl liku nentstratsd, there being in Faris a, firo engirt" proppJ'a'i entirely by tsyclints. The maohioc has the appesrauce of ti»o tandem biovole-f coupled with a «ingle st*eriu& post, and between thu two frames are suspended the hose reel and a rotary pump. The whole couoeru neighs lets than 1401b, and four cycling flremen carry the machine along at a much faster rate than any orthodox flre-CDgine ever vs«it. The most curious feature of riiis novel adapfcat'ou of the bicyole is fchftfc on arrival at the scorn- of the fire the foot-power or tha four riders puaips the water, which is poured on. to the fire through the hoae attached to the? raaohine, so that the cycling fir«-engine it *bsa» lu»;ely compete in itself and independent of any other power Duelling on wheels ia not a success. It ha<B been tried in France by two commercial clerks who were too arittooratio to " tight like rag-pickers," and chose a duel d bicychtte as the means of settling their difficulties. Mocmted on their machines, and followed by their second* similarly mounted, they rode ab one another with the poiuts of their swords advanced ; but after five miontes' preliminary skirminfairig the four bicyclists fell in ft heap on the ground, afcd left tho scoas of action with curiously changed ideas on the anbject of bicycle duel*. The inventors are now talking of adapting the bioycle for sailing and flying, and it is said that an Englishman has succeeded in flying some distance on an aerial cyole, while the American papers give an account of a bioycle which will travel quite «asily and safely on land or hs», or, at the will of its sider, riae from this dull faith and transport itu master through, mid-air as pleasantly as if he were a nightingale Definition of a scorcher, according to a policeman :— " Never older than 25, and seldom younger than 18. He is a straight-haired, thin-jawed, wild-eyed idiot, with his back humped like » mad torn cat's tail, who tears down the path without any regard for the safety of other*. He is nearly always long in the legs and thin. Somehow your fat man is not much at scorching." A Mel' ourne cable states that the Fivemile Scratch Race resulted as follows : — Martin 1, Porta 2, Gargurevich 3. Time, 12min 30§sec.

Sydney, March 4.

Al the League of Wheelmen's Carnival tho International Scratch Mile resulted as follows : Martin 1, Payne 2, M'Cennes 3. The English champion Edwards was beaten in his heat. Time, 2min 58seo. In the Twenty Miles Challenge Relay Race Leena, the French champion, with the greatest ease cub down O'Brien, M'Combe, Meadham, and Elliott, who took up the running in succession, end won by ' over a mile in 44rain 32£ sec. He covered the first 10 miles in 21min 15seo.

The election to fill tha vacancies on tha Southland Education Board, caused by the retirement of Messrs R. M'Nab, D. L. Matheson, and G. Lumsden, resulted in the return of Messrs W. Macalister, Matheaon, and J. Cowie. Mr Lumsden did not seek re-election. The ansuccessful candidates were Messrs M'Nab, W« B. Scandrett, Mr Qilfedder, M.H.R.. and tb* Rev. T. Neave.

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