CYCLE BOARDS BILL. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 49

CYCLE BOARDS BILL. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — I have been directed by the Council of the Auckland Cycle Roads League to write you with refeience to the Cycle Boards Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament early in the ensuing session. There are a few points in connection with the bill which my council would feel pleased if you would emphasise. Many people are under the impression that this is purely a cyclists' agitation, and in the interests of that class alone. This is quite an error. The League maintains that every person in the coramuryty will be benefited by the bill becoming law. It will be remembered that even after the bill has passed the House, it does not become law in any particular provincial district until that district has asked for it by a majority of 2 to 1 of the cyclists in it. It must be remembered: —

I. That the cycle paths will provide miles of good footpath for country people.

2. That the cyclists themselves agree to give this free to their fellow ratepayers as they (the cyclists) alone pay the tax. 3. That cycle tracks have always proved tha forerunners of good roads.

1. That they invariably lead to further settlement and increase trade, especially in those towns and villages through which they pass, or at which they stop.

5. That they promote touring, and so cause the country to become better known, and thus lead to the distribution of more money.

6. That the laying down of cycle tracks will provide work for a great number of men through whose district the tracks run.

7. That cycle tracks are meant mainly to open up the country for touring, and to lay tracks where the roads are not good enough for cycling, and that therefore country cyclists need not be afraid of not getting the^ full share of the tax.

It is propose^ by the draftsman of the bill (should it become law) to form a complete scheme of paths running from north to south of the provincial district, with branches wherever po.-sible. He then pioposes to expend in each centre annually at the very lea e t as much as the tax contributed by that centre, and to extend the path both ways until eventually completed. If any of our country friends have any objections to the act becoming law. or can have any suggestions as to amendment, they may be forwarded to me or to Mr P. A. Vaile, solicitor, Auckland, when they will be promptly dealt with.

I may say that it is confidently anticipated that so far from the country cyclists' subscriptions being used to make tracks in town the reverse will be th? case, as what city cyclists want is to get to their country friends.

It has been stated that the country cyclists will oppose the bill. I may state t'-at the League has no fear of this. In no single instance which came under tho League's notice did a country cyclist raise his voice against the tax. If any case of hardship is brought under the notice of the Cycle Board it can lomit or compound for any amount due to it.

An important point to be remembered is that everything under the act is done by the courtesy and permission of the road boards, county council?, and other local bocbe3, the draftsman of the bill having been particular 1 "/ careful not to infringe in tho slightest degree upon the powers or duties of the local bodies.

The^maximum amount of the annual tax is ss. and if any less be found fufneicr-t tli2 beard of any particular distiict raav fix it for the year at such smaller arriounl as may be deemed sufficient.

I think these few particulars will be interesting to the great majority of your rcader3, and mv council will be very pleased if you will publish this letter and use you.' influence in advancing the interests of the c} cle track movement, to which we thinl" it is hard to find a single reasonable objection. — Yours faithfully,

(Signed) A. A. DAYTEB, Hou. Sec. Auckland Cycle Roads League Auckland, April 4-.

MELBOURNE DRUIDS' GALA. MELBOURNE. April 8. There was fine weather for the Drvids' jrala, at which 55,000 persons rttend^d. The Wheel Raco resulted thus: — W Martin 1, Body 2, Middleton 3: won by three lengths Time, "-mm 17 2-ssec. Martin nlso won the Ten-milo Championship of Australasia, beating Beauchamp by a length and a-ha!f. Time, 24min 34 3-ssec.