BY DEMON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2707, 31 January 1906, Page 59

BY DEMON.

At the Dunedin Cycling Club's sports on Saturday, March 10, the following cycling events are set down for decision.: —-Half-mile Dash, of £3, £2, and £1; One-mile Open, of £4, £2. £1; Wheel Race, of £8, £4, and £1; and One and Half-mile Handicap, of £5. £2, and £1. The New Zealand cycling championships at Nelson on February 1 should resuit in contests between the Christchurch riders Cecil Baker and the old-timer George Suther land, the Timaru rider Randrup being putout of court for the championships by the spill he had on the Timaru track last week There will not be any Dunedin riders competing at the Nelson meeting. I Mr D. Wall has again entered the ranks of local motorists, having become the possessor of a 3 horse-power single-cylinder Minerva. There are very few machines or thi9 type in Dunedin, but the advent of Mr Wall's machine may lead to Minervas becoming more numerous oh local roads. From latest information I learn that Mr Wall has since disposed- of, his Minerva to Mr Moss. I - —Lack of vigilance is undoubtedly the l cause of the great majority of bicycle accidents, whether it results in unpreparedncss for the obstacles whioh have to be encountered on the road or simply in failure to realise the speed which the machine is developing. The former accounts for most of our collisions, the latter for the serious accidents on steep gradients which have marked the popularisation of the free-wheel. —-A wonderful piece of fast cycling wa3

recently accomplished by the crack French pace follower, Henri Contenet, paced by a | motor cycle fitted with a wind shield. Con- | tenet attacked "Walthour's record for lo>> I miles on the Winter Track, Paris, and sue1 reeded in covering the distance in 17min 30 3-ssec, an average of nearly 57 miles an hour. 1 The Sydney Thousand Handicap, worth £1000, "of which £750 goes to the winner, is the next big event to engage the attention of Australian racing cracks. The previous winners of this rich event are Hopper (U.S.A.), O'Brien (N.S.W.), and Lear (Victoria). " Mr Emile Bockart is still at Rotorua. I*atcrt news is to the effect that he has slightly improved in health. The well-known Australian racingcrack, Don Walker, has been disqualified for life by the League of Victorian Wheelmen , for racing at the unregistered cycle meeting held at the Exhibition Track at Christmas. As Walker has definitely retired from the racing arena, the disqualification practically makes no difference to the erstwhile Australian champion, but for all that it is a thousand pities that Walker should at the ( end of a brilliant racing career ill-advisedly i ostracise himself from cycle racing by making his final appearance at an unregistered meeting. One of the most successful cycle meetings ever held on the Caledonian Ground was the occasion when Walker came across from the other side to compete, and ''Honolulu" Jones — one of the prettiest riders who ever sat on a bipycle — and "Irish" Reynolds also made their appearance on the track. Walker on this occasion was quite out of form, and did not manage to secure a race. The General Motor Company landed by the s.s. Kaipara to the order of tho well-known motorist Mr Balfour H. Neill one of the latest 5 h.p. Griffon' motor cycles. This machine has twin cylinders, each 75mm. by 80mm. Longuemare' carburetter, extra heavy 2^in Griffon : tyres. The machine is ( handsome in appearance, of neat design, and was built throughout at the Griffon works in France. Her trial trip in Dunedin was up the Flagstaff road, which was easily accomplished without any assistance from the pedals, and wiih the levers well retarded. The weight of the machine is about j 1501b, with all on. The same company also landed to the order of Mr C. J. Fox a 7 h.p. Peugeot with Charter Lea frame. This engine has twin cylinders, 80mm. by 98mm. The 'machine has a fine appearance, and is highly finished throughout. It is fitted with a large size Longuemare carburetter, band brake on front wheel. Gripwell belt, rim brake on back wheel, Davison sight gauges to petrol and oil tanks, double arctic enclosed fan directing cold blasts of air on the combustion heads. It is also fitted 2i.in Palmer cord tyres. This machine is running excellently and giving good satisfaction. The Christchurch Cycling and Motor Club hold a 100 Miles' Open Handicap Motor Race on New Brighton Beach on Saturday, March 3. One of the finest cars to be seen about the Christchurch streets is- a 12 horsepower twin-cylinder Darracq, that 'has been purchased by Mr B. Hallenstein, of that city. It hao an exceptionally long wheel base, has a tulip-shaped tonneau. and is beautifully upholstered in yellow. The rear wheel tyres are fitted with the Sameon tread, a device that undoubtedly minimises the chances of puncture when (ravelling over a stony stretch The following, from an Australian paper, should be read, marked, and learned by Dunedin motormen, especially the latter ■ part of it. — "Recently many motorist? ha^e Ijren charged before the courts for reckless driving. Heavy fines have been imposed. Tet these heavy fines seem not to deter motorists from continuing in their foolish practices. How this can be passes understanding. There is plenty of room out on the lonely, unfrequented roads for occasional trials of speed, therefore there is no justification in harassing the public in the city or in country towns. A motorist who duves his car at regulation speed through such places may easily get all the pleasure he needs by waiting for a quiet stretch of unfrequented road before he lets his machine out at full speed. The welfare o£- the gene- j ral public, who, after all, own the roads, I will thus be considered and conserved." ' Laweon and MacFarland returned from West Australia at the beginning of January (says the Australasian), after a very profitable trip, but did not go to Sydney and race. In addition to appearance money, Lawson won £93 and MacFarland £+8, making an aggregate of about £250 for the W.A. trip. No wonder they can afford to ignore the paltry £6 5s (by comparison) offered by the promoters here and ■elsewhere. It was understood that unless better terms would be forthcoming at future meetings here the pair would hay« sailed from the West for Europe ; hence it may be assumed that they will be seen again on one or more of the Victorian tracks this season. ■ Following on the British motor show in November was the eighth annual show of cycles and motors in Paris, under the auspices or the French Automobile Club. Like the British exhibition, it was a brilliant success ; in fact, so great was the number of machines to be placed on view that a huge overflow show was held concurrently in the Cours la. Reine. Compared with the motor exhibits, those comprising the cycle portion looked insignificant, although in ' leality far in advance of what has been dis-

played in former years. The automobile for the time reigns supreme. f — - One of the best-known cars of English manufacture — the Napier — has made such progress on the Continent that the company has found it ad^sable to establish a factory on the mainland, and' has chosen Italy — Geneva — as the locale. A branch company has been formed, and, judging from the personnel, a powerful combination and alliance has been, formed, which should ensure the continued success' of the famous cars, in Europe, at least. j- It may be remembered that in 1904the valuable patents of the Dunlop pneumatic tyre expired in England, and it was confidently antieipa-t-ed that when the parent company came into open competition there would be a great falling-off in the profits. The report for 1905 was published last month, and from the balance sheet it is seen that the net trading profits were £138,100, as compared with £131,400 in 190*. It was freely acknowledged in the trade papers that this result provided a great demonstration of the far-seeing policy, marvellous organisation, and splendid administration which have characterised the conduct of this concern. The actual trade of the company was necessarily larger than ever; though the large income hithe-rto enjoyed from royalties has entirely disappeared, and the company now depends u-pon actual manufacture (and disposal) for profit. The exigencies of competition have naturally had a tendency to lower prices, and for some time past the rubber market has been \ery unfavourable. It is ve>ry liksly that a scheme for the reorganisation of the company will be promulgated this year. Mr Alfred G. Vandcrbilt is having a 250-h.p. motor ear built in New York (sayg the Herald). It is desigined to be the fastest machine in the world, and it is estimated it will be capable of travelling 152 miles an hour. The designer is M. Francois Richard, of France. Mr .Paul. Sartori will d,rive the car in the Florida tournament. Mr Arthur Lee, Civil Lord of the Admiralty, who spoke at the annual dinner [ last month of the Automobile Club of Great Britain, held out great promises to the motor engineers who could build petrol motors of from 50 to 300 h.p. which could be applied to launches, auxiliary craft, picket boats, etc. Mr Lee oven entfitaincd Iji& idea of encouraging petrol motors for destroyers, if such engkies could be had up to 30.000 h.p. An enormous saving could be made, he thought, by the substitution of internal combustion engines for steam. During November of laet year 359 motor cars, value £174,470. were imported into England; but then it was show month. The totals for the eleven months aio 5379 cars, value £2,344.302; in 1904 the figures weie 5167 cars, £1.932,485— add to that "Parts," 1905, £818,076— in 1904 £322,884. For motor cycles, eleven months, 1905,, £52,138 for 1583 cycle.% warts £20,817; in 1904, £30,776 for 975 cycles, parts £16,377 ; or £3,235,333 paid out for motors from abroad for 1905 against exports from Britain of only £470,500! \ An outof door motor cycle, or, rather, j bicar, record h one of the last things we might expect thi« weather (says a writer in Public Opinion), and so near the year end. However, French riders. have long had their eyes on the hour record. For pushpedal bicycles it was raised to 55 miles 1520 yards on April 12, 1905, by P. Guignard, and th© improvements in the pace and power of motor bicars (pedal-loss twowheeled "cycles"') make 60 milea in 60 minutes an easy matter. On Saturday. December 9, the feal was attempted by an Italian rider named Guippone at the track of tracks — Pare dcs Princes, Paris. The first ten kilos— 6 miles 386 yards — took smin 24 4-ssec, or under 54sec per mile; 50 'kilo's (31 miles 123 yards) in 29min 1 3-ssec; 100 kilos (62 miles 246 yards) in 58 mm 38 l-ssec; and 102 kilos 368 m (63 miles 1871 yards) in th& hour. Surely the last incident in the speed history of the year. j • The drhlng of a motor car is, per se, not at all a difficult art; but to drive really well is a different matter, and theman who thinks he knows all about it would be wise to take every opportunity of acquiring expoiience by sitting alongside a better driver than himself. It is ju«t ttie same in most other mundane affairs. The billiard player who rules the roost in his own little circle, the champion tennis player on his own lawn, and the cock o* the walk in all manner of pastimes finds that hie game goes off, or at least does •Dot improve, if he plays only with inferiors; whereas, directly he pits his skill against j that of distinctly better men, although he may incur humiliating defeat, if he is sensibly good-tempered and not oppressed by an over-weening self-conceit, he can pick up many wrinkles from his opponent's methods which will enable him to improve his own play. So in motor driving: a j run with an experienced driver will be a libe-ral education for the man who, prior , to &rcb an experience, imagines he knows all that there is to know about motor driving. The English cyc!e shows just held point to seveial new features for the 1906 cyole season, poremost and most important is the upward tendency in price of this year's qycle, tho buying public having become, wary and -hy of the deadly cheap gaspipe apology that wab selling for a bioycle for a few pounds in England a short time back. Better attention to details is i being gnen by the leading cycle manufacturer. Thy \ amble speed gears will, it

Is estimatecT, be fitted to fully 50 per eenft of the cycles built for the year 1906. The proven worth and reliability -of the various devices for giving the rider two or "more speeds at will has been properly recognised in England, and the variable gear nov: threatens to become as popular as the free-wheel. From a tyre point of view the growing demand is for the best quality tyre. Contrary to expectations, the D-uulop Tyre Co. has sold considerably more tyres for the year just past thaii for any year previous to the expiration, o? the Dunlop patent rights. All told, cycling and cycle mamufacturenrs ai - e enjoyingj 9term of prosperity in the Old Country th«V even the automobile boom cannot shake.

.Further details are now available concerning the great international contest of touring cars which the Automobile Club de France will hold next year. A courso of 5000 kilometres will be followed through, France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and; Belgium, the "daily distance to be covered being from 300 to 400 (kilometres. The cars will be divided into four classes, ranged according to the niimber of cylinders, the piston area of eaob cylinder, and the weight and seating capacity of the bodies fitted. Thus in each class the horse power will, be kept within certain well-defined! limits, and racing oars will be prevented from taking part. The main lines of the competition arc similar to those of the English reliability trials, but the condition of the tyres and the number used on tho tour will.be taken into account. With the Herkomer contest, to he held in Germany; and the Tourist Trophy race \yl the United Kingdom, touring cars will have many j opporttinittes of showing their merits .next'" 1 year. It . remains to be seen how much interest will be taken in such events by the. general public. -

Amongst the few really new motor- , car? at the London Olympia. show, the : Pilain attracted great attention. A gear drive of this motor is employed to connect the driving wheels with the live axle instead of. being driven drrect thereby. On each rear wh&al is a. flange ring with mter-al ccg teeth ; these are propelled by pinions on che axle ends, the action being exceedingly smooth and quiet. This it, indeed, a striking feature — an eleotricar could hardly be quieter. With the two 'owcrpewered types— l 6-20 and 20-30 h.p.— th,e third and fourth speeds are direct, so -there is no noisy grinding of cogs; indeed, so . elastic is the drive that by shutting dowin v the throttle i.he speed may be regulated from a traffic crawl to the limit rate without change of gear-. There are many, other gocd points about the Pilain, such as * • very gentle clutch, effective radiator cool* ing fan, and new carburetter. In short, tho Pilain will be quite a feature of 1906. It is not a poor man's vehicle, the prices ranging from £520 to £900, but it is worth it M. Randrup, three and five-mile Xew Zealand champion, had a nasty falL on tha Timaru track on Monday, and will be unabl* to compete in th© New Zealand championships to be decided at Nelson ou February 1.