CYCLING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2546, 31 December 1902, Page 51

CYCLING NOTES.

'^y^wW* BY DEMON.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. CiCLn —There is not now in Dunedin a school for teaching bicycle riding, but if you are desirous of learning to ride, I am sure that any of the Dxmedm cycle agents would airange for your efficient instruction. Words fail to express my feelings regarding our holiday weather, and from the outlook at the present moment, when it is pouringr p steady rain, it seems as if the New Year holidays were rot going to be any better than the Christmas one?. »One does not mind a shower now and then, but in holiday time we look for holiday weather, not showers of hail, and continued rain showers for a succession of days. It's simply unbearable. Two bicycle races were run at the West Taieri Caledonian Society's sports meeting, held at Outram on Boxing Day. The Two-mile Roadster. Handicap was a good race, four competitors taking part in the event, which was won by W. Adams (70yds) with W. Leask (scr) second, and F. Wright (105 yds) third. No time recorded. The other race, a One-mile Roadster event, was won by W. Adams (35yds). H. Ede (150ydr,) ancfC Beissel (45yds) being second and third respectively. % A Two-mile Handicap Bicycle race was run at the Waikouaiti Caledonian Society's sports' meeting on Boxing Day. Seven riders made a start, but only three finished. H. Jenkins (scr) won the event with A. Valentine (100 yds) second, and C. Hood (80yds) third. No time recorded. The annual Milirary Tournament, held at the Caledonian Ground on Boxing Day, furnished some good cycle racing. The One Mile race, open to all ranks, was won by Lance-corporal S. Gudsell (10yds), with Private H. Woolf (25yde) second, and Corporal W. T. Smith (60yds) third. There were about a dozen starters, and the race was interesting. No time was recorded. In the Two Mile race, open to all ranks, Lancecorporal S. Gudsell repeated his performance in the One-mile event, and annexed first prize; Private James Stuart (scr) ran into second place after having to contend with the disadvantage of a bad start, and Private Murdoch" (lOOvds) took third place. Time, smm 15=et\ The third event, a Mile and A-half Ladies' Bracelet Race, furnished a splendid finish, Pri\ate James Stuart (scr) winning the. event, with Lance-corporal T. Woolf (3Uyds) second, and Private H. Lindbay (70vds) third. Time, 4min 16 4-s=c*. The North lOtago Cycling and Athletic Club were compelled, owing to bad weather, to postpone their meeting, fixed for Boxing Day. Heavy rain «et in in the morning, and, lasting several hours, spoiled any chance of a good attendance of spectators. I am sorry that the efforts of the members of the committee should at this time come to naught. A good deal of work had been gone through to make the meeting a success, both from a financial and a sporting point of view, and it mv.-it he disheartening to make a postponment. Howe-ver, the thins? had to be faced, and I trust that Good Friday, the only available date for holding the meeting, may bo dry and sunny, and tihat a crowd sufficient to please the officials will turn out to help the club along. In the heat« of a five-miles paced race at Vailsburg, U S.A., on September 7, H. Freeman, in a trial heat, and N. Butler in the final lowered the world's figures for five miles, motor-paced. In each case the times were identical, the distance being covered in 6min 56see. The- previous best was 7min I lOsec. Butler also annexed all the intermediate mile records, ridiner the last t mile in lmin 22 4-s c ec, which is, it is understood, world's record in competition. In races of this description only three contestants start, with two to qualify. At the bicycle races at Ballarat five riders wore injured, one named Gipps receiving severe concussion of the brain. • The Austral Wheel Race will be raced on January 10. The German cyclists Robl and Dickontman (tho world* champiQii behind pacer) have anived Vi Melbourne. The cyclists W. Martin and Palmer arrived from Melbourne on the 23rd by the Mokoia. and left again for Chiistehureh during the day. Martin hones to race in Dunedin about the New Year time, or shortly afterwards. THE REVOLUTION OF THE MOTOR CAR. ITS FUTURE POSSIBILITIES Tn the short tivno which has elapsed sinre the passing of the Enabling Act of 1896. (he motor cai industry has made so great i»n advance that it is difficult to find a parallel. In the progress of indention, in the rapid increase of capital and the number of workpeople employed in he industry, and in I** public interest shown in the Jpvelopm^nt, the past fr>w years pre^e-nt a record that is unique. The progress (tavs a writer in the County Gentleman. Enp.) has been made under difficulties. The irritating restrictions imposed by the Act of 1896 are doing much to fettei the full develooment in this country of automobilism. When these restrictions are removed we may expect to witness a forward movement still more marked than that which has already taken place. There is a long leeway to be- mode up. The foolish action of Parliament 70 years ago, when it practically prohibited the use of mechanically-driven, vehicles upon th*

public roads, removed this country from tfie 1 leading position, it then occupied in respect, of horseless vehicles. Instead of exporting automobiles, we have ourselves to go to foreign makers. Our backward position is all the more to be regretted, as the motor cai can be made an effective instrument for stemming the flow of population to the towns and bringing back prosperity to the country districts. It comes as a boon and a blessing to those who desire to re-side in the country, but whose pursuits or whoee duties require their frequent presence in the industrial centres. It renders them independent of slow and irritating train services, of stuffy "Uibes," and crowded trams. The motor car, in fact, is already used by many as a means of travelling rapidly frojn their own doors to their places of business. The motor car promises further to be of untold benefit to agriculturists. Nothing is more important to those engaged in agriculture than facilities of access to the town markets. Everything, ther&fore, that helps to bring them into cheaper and more rapid communication with the large centres oi population cannot fail to advance materially the prosperity of the agricultural industry. This fact is fully recognised by the present Minister foi Agriculture. slr Hanbury, who, in a recent sre*ch, told the Yorkshire Agricultural Union that he "hoped to see competition enteied into with the railways by mearis of motor cars for the conveyance of goods." To the commercial no less than to the agricultural world the mechanically-propelled vehicle affords opportunities foi reducing co^t of production. Unless the English people, as a manufacturing nation, can produce as cheaply as other countries they cannot expect to retain their present position in the markets of the world. A movement. I therefore, that temV, to reducs the cost r>f tran.*nort is one of national importance. Finally, the motor car affords an additional and exhilarating means of healthy iecre-a- ! tion.

IXVERCARGILL CYCLING RACES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) IXVERCARGILL, December 26. The Invercarjrill Cycling Club had firstclass weather for their sports yesterday, - and the attendance was good. The entries were numerous, and some" splendid racing was witnessed. A novel event was a 100 yds race between a bicycle- (R. Murie) and a sprinter (J. J. Taylor) which ended in a dead beat. Tho most noteworthy performance »va o A. Ralstou's victory in the first heat of the Half-mile, Petors's effort in the first heat of the Two Miles, Summer's capture of the first heat of the Mile and final of the- Two Miles, and Welch's brilliant effort in the Five Miles, in which he won by a wheel in the last 10 yards. This race furnished the best five-miles' finish ever witnessed in Inve-rcarg-ill. The following are th© results : — One-mile Maiden Handicap.— J. W. Shanks I, F. Dixon 2, A. S. Peters 3. Time, 2min 22 4-ssec. Half-mile Dash Handicap.— Final : R. W. Jc-res 1, A. "Welch 2, A. Ralston 3. Time, lmin 3 2-ssec. Won easily. Two-mile Wheel Race.— Final : M. Summer 3 1, A. A. Cuff 2, F. Dixon 3. Time, 4rnin 19sec. One-mile Open Handicap. — Final: M. Summers 1, N. Lyncholson 2, F. Dixon 3. Time, 2min 14 2-ssec. . Five mile Handicap.— A. Welch 1, J. Dowling 2, W. Ralston 3. Time, 13min S 2-ssec. Quarter-mile Dash Handicap.—F inal: A. Ralston 1, W. Ralston 2, J. Marshall 3. Time, 33min. CYCLIXG IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, December 26. There was a serious accident at the cycling sports in Lancaster Park yesterday afternoon during the Five-mile Motor Car Race. Two cars collided, and the drivers, Best and Oates, sustained nasty cuts and bruises. Oiite*> wns carried home in a conveyance. The Christmas Day Wheel Race, of £25, was won by George Sutherland. W. Martin rode a mile in lmin 29<sec on a motor bicycle This is the fastest time ever put up at Lancaster Park. To-day the weather is threatening, and the town is almost deserted. December 28. The weather wars fine for the holiday yesterday morning, but in the afternoon a heavy thundershowcr put a stop to all sports. At the Christ-church Cycling Club's sports the Boxing Day Wheel Race wai won by A. Huston (25yds). with A. R. Barker <90yds) second, and H. Holland <50vds) third. The Five-mile Championshiv) of Canterbury resulted: W. Martin. 1; ~W. Palmer, 2; T. Huston, 3. W. Martin, in the French motor, made a new mile record in lmin 23 3-ssec, from a flying £tart %