A NEW ZEALAND INVENTOR.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1838, 13 August 1895, Page 3

A NEW ZEALAND INVENTOR.

Mr G. C. Dennison, of Oamaru, who came home some time aeo to exploit his bicycling patientß, is 6ays the l)unedin Star's London correspondent, becoming a familiar figure m the streets of the metropolis, as mounted on his " Maori" eve}e lie whisks along the crowded thoroughfares. It is, of course, the machine and not th« man which excites

curiosity. Mr Dennison has only to leave his machine outside any place of business for thirty seconds, and to, there is a crowd. The " Maori " m its present form would be invaluable to street corner preachers, quack medicine vendors, et hoc genus, both as a means of speedy locomotion and as a "draw." The inventor appeared m the meat market with his machine, just when the AgentsGeneral, produce expertfl, pressmen, and other curious people were engaged m examining the Gothic's chilled beef, and for a few minutes it was a toss-up whether beef or bicycle was the topic of the moment. Mr Dennison, however, promptly obscured the machine behina a pile of beef and saved his situation. Whilst he was concealing it I interviewed him briefly. He told me first of all that the difficulties m the way of reducing the " Maori " to a reasonable length had now been overcome, and that within the next few days he would be m possession of a machine with a wheel base only a few inches longer than is common to the ordinary safety, and weighing not more than 401 b. Also, that a company was prepared to take up his bicycle. Before entering into any specificcontracts with the gentlemen forming the syndicate Mr Dennison intends, with the help of Abelspeis, the well-known German club rider, to place " records " overall distances to the credit of his machine. This can hardly be called a "modest proposition" ; but, seeing that on the 70-pound " Maori " which Mr Dennison now rides about the said Abelspeis has has done twenty-five miles m the hour ■ on the Queen's highway, the inventor will not be deemed fatuitously sanguine. Having reduced his bicycle into a commercial compass, Mr Dennison has turned his attention to improving the driving gear of ordinary safeties. He has already patented a new driving band, which he believes will supersede the various chains now m use. His band is made of piano wire covered with rubber, and weighs under four ounces. A decently strong chain, of course, weighs at least 20ozs. The cogs naturally disappear on bycicles fitted with a.,band, their place being taken by glass ' enataelled drums. Pretty severei tests have proved that the grip of the band on the drums is ijuffioient to prevent slipping when riding up inclines, and the total absence of jarring- -which is present m a greater or less degree m all bicycles containing cogs— is ?n aid to speed. Two of the largest machinist com panics— the KudgeWhitworth and the Howe, to wit— are negotiating with Mr Dennison is respect to this band. The v New, Zealander has on hand also a •' three-speed" gear invention, which however is not sufficiently perfect to submit to the wheeling world yet awhile.