CYCLING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 51

CYCLING NOTES.

BY DEMON.

The annual meeting of the Otago Cycling Club, held last Wednesday evening, was a good deal more important than usual. This was owing to the discussion which took place on the financial position of the club, which is not nearly so satisfactory as the members could wish it tc be. The balance sheet showed that the overdraft at the bank had been reduced by £14, but this was entirely due to the profits accruing from the race meeting held by the club, at which Bill Martin was the great attraction. The receipts from memershipb tickets showed a falling-off, making it patent to everyone that, had the sports meeting been a failure, the club's position, would have been rendered very serious financially. Recognising that sports meetings are not nearly aa popular as they used to be, and that it would be a risky thing to depend on the success of future ones to maintain the .club in a solvent position. Mr R. Jay, who has done good work for the club in the past, stated suceintly the position, and save it as his opinion that the social part of the olub should be e-ntirely independent of sports meetings, and then moved to the effect that the incoming 'committee should carefully go into the whole matter and see how best this could he accomplished. His motion was agreed to unanimously Some new and energetic men were elected to the committee, and there seems to me little doubt but that a strong effort will be made this season to put the club on a sound financial basis. From the suggestions which I gather were made the expenses of the club are likely to be curtailed without lessening any of its attractions. For one thing, the rent is likely to be lessened and the secretary to th© club holds an honorary position, it being understood that a bonus is to be given him if the > year's operations will allow of such being done. The club is now fairly launched for the season, and I hope that it has turned the corner, and feel sure that with good management and steady handling the brighter side will slowly come to view. I wish the club all success. Messrs A. Dey (at present manager of the Canada Cycle and Motor Company's business in George street) and S. Stokes (in the employ of the company) have secured from the Canada Cycle and Motor Company the agency for Otago for the Massey-Harris, Red Bird, and Imperial bicycles. The business now earned on in the name of the Canada Cycle and Motor Company is shortly to be in the hands of these gentlemen, who are convinced that there is a good field in Dunedin for private enterprise. Mr Dey has been connected vyith the cycle trade for a number of ve-ars, and has a thorough general knowledge of the requirements of the oyoling publio, while Mr Stokes has, during the time he haa been town traveller for the Canada Company, acquired a thorough technical knowledge of the cycle business. Both he and Mr Dey j have been well known in cyclittg circles for a number of years, and their enterprise in acquiring a business for themselves will, I feel jure, meet with success. They take possession of the business in George street on the first of September, and I wish them well in their venture. ■<— — A Timaru telegram states that 25 started in the Handicap Cyclo Race, Timaru to Temuka, 12 miles. The winner is a telegraph boy named Wiggs, his time being 38min 27pcc. The time of the scratch man, Council, was 31min 32<?eo. i The members of the Dunedin Cycling Club and some of their friends held a progressive euchre tournament at the olub room on Tuesday evening last, when there was an atteiidanoe of about 50. The time was plea- i santly occupied till 10 o'clock in playing for the prize presented by Mr D. Wall, cap- , tain of the club, to be given to the winner ' of the most points in the tournament. The j winner proved to be Mr A. J. Sullivan. The pm&entatiou was made by Mr A. J. Barth, ai.d then harmony vva» commenced. Duiing ,' tho evening items were given by Messrs A ' .1. Barth, A. G. Melville, A. Clarion, W. Beswick, H. Pattle. S. Minn, Lothian, and C. Seelye. A banjo and mandolin duet was given by Messrs Seelye and Carter, and Mr W. B. Bell kept things lively at intervals with selections from the graphaphone. The accompaniments were played by Messrs Barfch, C/arkson, and Risk, and the whole affair wjis wound up with a Maori war cry by Messrs Sale (leader), Friedlander, Seelye, Carter, and Miim. — — The election of Mr W. Begg to the position of president of the Otago Cycling , Club must be a source of satisfaction alike i to tho members of the club and Mr Begg himself. The work of the president of the club at this time is one of difficulty, and , th»«re is no one better fitted at the present time to fill the office than the prese-nt holder. I He hasr been associated with the club for many years, and knows as much of the club's history as any member. He also brings a quiet enthu&iasm to bear on the memners rliat is at once impressive and contagious. I am pleased to see a cyclist who has grown with the club occupying the highest position in its ranks. The remarks made by Mr A. J. Barth at the Dunedin Cycling Club's euchre tournament on Tuesday evening should tend to encourage the committee of the club to prpmoto more social evenings for club members. He spoke of the pleasure it had given him to be present that evening, though having a prior engagement, and of his not regretting having put off that engagement. He had enjoyed himself thoroughly, and from appearances all present had extracted a like amount of pleasure out of the 'evening. He opened the musical portion of the evening with a piano solo, and on it's conclusion at once rose and. addressing those present, said'that he hoped that his presence would not deter others from coming forward and performing on the piano. He had I noticed that the presence of a professor of music often acted as a deterrent to others perhaps not so skilful, and ho would , t>e better pleased that evening to see others coming forward and taking a part in the programme. His tactful remarks were well received, and had tho desired effect of putting others at their ease and getting them to do their share of accompanying at the piano, It is gratifying to see that tho Andor- j loft's Bfvy. oycltng track it being attended to 4 '

and the holes filled up with asphalt. While riding over the truck to-day I was pleased to note the smoothness of the surface, but was disappointed to find that already some oarts haa been driven over the new asphalt, causing two deep ruts and a consequent bump, bump, bump while riding. It is a pity that the good work of the committee should b» so soon put to naught, and I would like to hear of some steps being taken tc prevent a recurrence of what has happened just now. The annual meeting of the Dunedin Cycling Club, fixed to be held on Monday evening, had to be adjourned owing to the small attendance of members. An attendance of 20 members is required to form a quorum, and an exemplification of the ad- ( vantage of passing the suggested alteration > to the clubs rules, whereby 10 membere would form a quorum, was forcibly brought '. before those present. The meeting stands adjourned till Thursday evening, at a quar- | ter past 7} when it is anticipated that a : better attendance will be forthcoming. : I am informed that on Monday evening, about half-pa&t 6, an expressman was , t seen driving an express along the Cumberland street portion of the cycling track. The Track Committee have already heard of , this man's act, and it is probable that proceedings will be taken against him. The Dunlop Company are out again with a new proposition in the shape of a . motor bicyolo race^from either Dunedin or 1 Oaniaru to Christchurch. Already several i firms have their intention of eni tering machines, and it only requires a few i more promises of entries to make this event a certainty. Should the race take place, New Zealand will have the honour of haying the first motor bicycle road race held in any of ; the British dominions. Constant Huret (France), who a few i years back was one of the fastest long distance riders in the world, has again taken to the track, and celebrated his return by winning a six-hours' paced race in Paris, covering some 203 i miles, an average pace of 33^ miles per hour, in that time. With the improved pacing now in vogue, it would be interesting to see such men as Huret, Linton, and Cordang attacking the 24 hours' i record. Given fine weather, 700 miles in the j day would be within the reach of any of | the above trio. The present record is 63* ] miles, to the credit of the retired English ! crack, A. E. Walters. | The crack American sprinter, "Major" , Tayloc, who is to visit the Commonwealth next summer, haa just met the world's mile champion, Ellegaard, in a match at Paris, | beating the Dane handsomely in both heats. The American flyer again proved himself the fastest sprinter in Europe during hia racing trip on the Continent. He has returned to j America. Should this fine rider fulfil his Australian engagement, lovers of cycle racing have a treat in store. j The Touring Club of France has the . enormous membership of 72,480, which gives one a fair idea of the popularity of cycling in the land of the Gaul. 1 understand that the Dunedin Cycling Club are well pleased wTth their social function of last week, and that it ie the intention of the club to hold tournaments and musical evenings about once a month during the year. — —I notice that Andrew R.alstdn has to start from the scratch mark in the Warraambool to Melbourne Road Race, fixed for i Saturday next. It will be recollected that he made a magnificent ride in this race last year, running into sixth place from scratch, and doing the distance* (165 miles) — despite heavy roads and rain— in nine hours, the fastest time recorded. I hope that this year h© will have more favourable conditions to race under. He made a great impression by his ride, as evidenced i by the comments of all the Australian eye ling scribes, and I trust that his ride of this year will be of such a nature as to. deepen tho good impression made. Andrew Calaer, an ex- Victorian, who won the first Warrnambool to Melbourne raoe in 1895, is also a competitor from New Zealand, and he starts on the ten minutes' mark The handicaps given out ■yvill be found below. The following nine riders are given a<3 having an excellent chance in tl.e Warrnambool to Melbourne Road Race: — | Ralston (N.Z), scratch; Chalmers and 1 Calder (N.Z.), lOmin ; Alexander, Anderson, and Littlechild (N S.W.), 15min ; Cook i (X.S.W.), 20min; Flack, 35miu; Hawley, 45min. _ j ; America is a, land >>f many curio"us ' laws, but some of the States are wise in their day and generation, and not the i ! least worthy of the laws of «ome of the , States are those which fine, and if necessary imprison, cyclists for carrying children on their bicycle* or allowing their dogs to accompany them on their tours. The Paris-Vienna motor race proved , a great success in some respects, 137 competitors starting. First home was M. Marcel Renault, who covered 870 miles in 25hr 51min, which works out at about 33 miles per hour. M. Maurice Farmam was second, in 26hr I9min. and M. Edmond third in 26hr , ' 28min. There has arisen much iudigpa- ' tion over the race, nationality bulking- • j largely. Englishmen and Germans had no j show against the French competitors, who I were permitted by the French officials to j break tho conditions without protest. Some j wonderful escapes nre chronicled. A Frenohj man named Max shot hi* car over a sloping cliff 250 ft deep. He escaped unhurt, but his car was smashed to atoms. Baron Rothschild's chaffeur lost his life. Another machinist got his hand broken; while an Austrian motorist fell with his machine j into a river The car "got drowned," while thp owner, by turning a somersault, i saved himself from being sucked down by j the car. The Swiss people showed marked ; hostility to the motorists as they passed I through the cantons. : Ruret recently rode 202 miles 1293 : yards in six hours. 7 The present record for 24 hours is i hpld by A. E. Walters, tho retired L'nghsh | champion. _ '"* Of the many points of superiority which tho motor car possesses over the t horse-drau-n vehicle, one to which attention i is seldom called is that of the capacity for i dpaoendiug hills at a fair pace. So ex- i cellent are the brake systems on motor car.s ' generally, and so completely are they under 1 the drivers' control, that it is perfectly I feasible for them to run down hill at the c same speed as on the level, or even faster, r The average horse-drawn vehicle, on the ' j other hand, when arriving at the top of a t steep pitch, has to be pulled up to a walk- r ing pace, and the horse crawls down with r slow and cautious step, digging its toes into 1 the ground in order to prevent the vehicle I behind it from obtaining too great a mo- I mentum for the animal itsolf to cheok. t The King of Italy recently had a nar- t row escape from a. serious accident near I Borne. Ovmuc to faulty steering, the car, 1 \

when descending a hill, charged into the wall of a convent, and was considerably damaged. The King escaped with a shaking, but had' to walk a mile and a-half to the nearest station.