ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 386, 16 December 1897, Page 6

ON THE WHEEL

[By

Cyclos.]

Auckland, October 27th, 1896. To the Proprietors, Sporting Review, Auckland. Dear Sirs, —I have pleasure in advising you that the Sporting Review has been appointed the Official Organ of the Auckland Cycle Club. Yours faithfully, E. G. SKEATES, Hon. Sec. LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND WHEELMENThe Governing Body of Cycling New Zealand, AMATEUR and CASH. Affiliated Clubs in the North Island. Club. Secretary. Auckland Cycling Club E. G. Skeates Carterton Cycling Club ... ... W. McKenzie Danevirke Cycling Club G. N. Wallace Egmont Cycling Club ... ... N. Benporath Feilding Cycling Club ... ... E. H. Fisher Foxton Cycling Club C. T. Austin Hastings Cycling Club H. Symonds Hawera Cycling Club ... ... W. D. Nicholas Manawatu Cycling Club J. F. Manning Otaki Cycling Club ... ... A. Knocks Pahiatua Cycling Club G. T. Yule Rangitikei Cycling Club I. Robson Wellington Cycling Club... ... H. J. Levy Wanganui & W.C. Cycling Club H. R. Woon Wairarapa Cycling Club ... ... P. C. Reynolds Woodville Rovers Cycling Club H. P. Horne Weraroa Cycling Club ... ... C. Thompson New Plymouth Cycling Club ... H. H. Mace Reliance Cycling Club F. L. Seager Affiliated Clubs in the South Island. Club. Secretary. Ariel Cycling Club... ... ... J. Forbes Christchurch Cycling Club ... F. D. Kesteven Greymouth Cycling Club... ... E. M. Sheedy Hokitika Cycling Club F. L. Kirwan Invercargill Cycling Cash Club... W. E. Gladstone Jubilee Cycling Club ... ... T. G. Jamieson Kaikoura Cycling Club ... ... J. B. Borthwick Kumara Cycling Club R. Rouse Marlborough Cycling Club ... H. Hillman North Otago Cycling Club ... J. E. Hood Reefton Cycling Club J. F. Clark Riverton Cycling Club H. H. Twemlow Seiwyn Cycling Club ... ... G. Porter Linwood Cycling Club T. Reed Amberley Rovers J. Blain Alexandra Cycling Club J. R. Cairns Otago Cycling Club A. Mundon Roxburgh Cycling Club B. V. Reilly Vincent Cycling Club ... ... G. Stumbles Invercargill A.O. & A.C.... ... E. Norton Dunedin Cycling Club W. R Brugh Lawrence Cycling Club I. B. Rinley Middlemarch Cycling Club ... I. Robertson Star Cycling Club I. Manchester F. D. KESTEVEN, Secretary. 7, Chancery Lane, Christchurch. League of New Zealand Wheelmen’s Definition of a Cyclist. Amateur Definition. An Amateur is one who is the holder of an amateur licence from this League, and who has—a. Never engaged in, nor assisted in, nor taught any swimming, athletic, or cycling exercise for money or other remuneration, b. Never knowingly competed with or against a person who does not hold a licence under the Amateur Definition of this League for a prize of any description, or in any cycle event in public, except where permission is granted by the League, c. Never made pace for, or been paced by, a person who does not hold a licence under this League, or for or by a person under suspension, d. Never sold, realised upon, or otherwise converted into cash, any prize won bv him. e. Never accepted, directly or indirectly, any remuneration, compensation, or expenses whatevir from a cycle manufacturer, agent, sport promoter, or other person interested in the trade or sport, for cycle riding, except where special permission is granted by the League. Cash Definition. A Cash Cyclist is one who is the holder of a licence under this League, and ceases to be eligible by—a. En gaging in cycle racing, or training or coaching any person therein, as a means of obtaining a livelihood, b. Orcompeting against any person who does not hold a licence under the Cash Definition of this League, except where permission is granted by the League, c. Making pace for, or being paced by, a person who does not hold a licence under this League, or for or by a person under suspension.

FIXTUBES. Dec. 16 and 18—Christchurch Cash Meeting Boxing Day—Wanganui Cash Carnival New Year’s Dav —Manawatu Cycling Club J an. 22 —Wanganui Caledonian The N Z. Cyclists’ Alliance seems determined not to recognise the N.Z. League of Wheelmen or amateurs racing under that body’s amateur definition. This being so, I am inclined to believe that the Alliance will not witness many more moons, as already the amateur clubs are joining the other people in all directions. Mr William McLean has (says the Wellington Post} received advice from Paris that the motor-cars specially built for the syndicate were well under way when the mail left, and would be shipped on December 10. They should reach their destination during the first week in January. Joey Barker and Tom Clarkson are together on scratch in the New Zealand Wheel Race, to be run at Christchurch on December 18. The three Aucklanders who entered have been handicapped—R. Hendry 40yds, A. J. Campbell 40yds, F. N. Chainey 140yds. The final heat of the Austral Wheel Race was run on Saturday, and resulted in the victory of Carpenter, of Victoria. Body, the New Zealander, was second, with Scott, of Victoria, third. The race was an exciting one. Body took the lead at the commencement of the final lap, and led almost to the finish. Carpenter had a little more left in him, and by a magnificent spurt caught Body and beat him half a wheel, in 4min 41 3-ssec. Some thirty thousand people were on the Melbourne Ground to see the race. In the Five-Mile International Race Body got home first by three lengths from Ken Lewis, with Green, the Englishman, third. Body’s time was 12min 4 3-ssec Guido Nervi, Ettore Antico, and T. Turola, Italian riders, have arrived in Sydney from Italy. The success of their countryman, Porta, induced them to visit the Antipodes. The Sterling Cycle Company will add a chainless model to its 1898 output, and the manufacturers of the Steam’s maohines are putting a. chainless bicycle on the market for next year. Bill Martin has started operations as a cycling punter, and at Melbourne Friendly Societies’ track the other day raked in many dollars. With a camera over his shoulder, Bill collected £3o—he won on Green—and walked along the front of the stand shovelling it out of his hat in handfuls. The League of Victorian Wheelmen has taken possession of, and made luxurious, the building in Russell Street, Melbourne, formerly occupied by the Young Men’s Christian Association, run by Goldbug and Co.

The mile record for America is now held by E. A. McDuffee, who at Philadelphia, on October 28 lowered the figures to Imin 35 2-ssec. Martin sticks to his training, and it is whispered that the gentle William intends shortly to try and be reinstated as an amateur. The spectacle of Bill bursting himself for a £2 trophy negotiable for about Is 6d would be the most comic incident the Australian track has ever seen. English papers are now giving in record-breaking performances the times for kilometres as well as for miles. A kilometre is equal to 1093 2-5 yards. Bourillon, the celebrated French professional, is without doubt the most successful cycle rider in Europe. During the past season he has won 50,000 francs (£2000) in prizes alone, which, added to the high retaining fees for machine and tyres, certainly makes a very handsome year s salary. He has met and defeated every short-distance crack of note on the * other side, and placed several rich events to his credit. Paris doctors are advising parents to let their children learn to cycle, and say that when properly taught, on machines correctly adjusted, the exercise broadens the chest, makes the back straight, and develops strong leg muscles. Miss Lucy Eaure, the daughter of the French President, when a-wheel is always attended by a trim-looking, clean-shaven lackey in smart livery and shining hat. Frequently she rides beside her father s cariage when he and his wife take their afternoon drive in the Bois. Miss Lucie is a spirited rider, and has frequently brought down a deal of criticism on her young head by her daring riding. She is impulsive and fearless, and acts before she thinks. About a year ago she stopped a runaway horse. The fact got into the French papers, but the report was immediately denied from the Elysee, as such a thing was most unbecoming to the dignity of a President’s daughter, and what the household of the Elysee does reflects directly upon the President in France. A well-known gentleman in Christchurch, who displays considerable interest in cycling, has made an exceedingly handsome offer to the League, as a signification of his appreciation of the efforts of that body to cater for both branches of the sport in a legitimate and straightforward manner, and its determination to maintain its strict amateur definition in spite of the attitude of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association and the New Zealand Cyclists’ Alliance . This gentleman has promised to institute next season a New Zealand Brassard, the winner of which is to be entitled to £1 per week so long as he can hold it against challengers, and to give £lOO, equal to two years’ payments. The only stipulations are that the League shall not, in the meantime, swerve from its present principles regarding the government of the sport, and that the Brassard shall bear the name of the donor. Such testimony to the course of action adopted by the League’s executive must be very gratifying at the present juncture. — Canterbury Times. The great Zimmerman says that very few women out of a thousand know how to ride the wheel properly, and he accounts for it through the fact that a . woman thinks she knows everything about riding when she has learnt to mount and dismount and keep her balance. These things really seem to be all there is in riding, but a woman should be most carefully instructed as to how she should sit, and how she should hold her hands and her whole body. She should be taught to pedal evenly, and not

to put all the force in the downward push of the foot, and the toes should be pointed downward when the foot is going forward, and the knee should be held straight. The police (says the London Athletic News) made an attempt last week to get round the decision of the Court of Appeal that they have no power to arrest a cyclist who is riding at night without a light by taking proceedings against him under the Highway Act for “riding to a common danger.” Last week a young fellow, who was riding without a light behind some friends who had lighted lamps, was arrested in Clapham, and detained at the police-station until his name and address had been verified, and then summoned to appear at the SouthWestern police-court. Fortunately a clever and unprejudiced magistrate, in Mr Lane, Q.C., was on the bench, and he

stated that all such cases must be decided on their merits, and as there was not the slightest evidence that the defendant, who was travelling at a moderate pace, and was protected by the lamps of his companions, was riding to the common danger the summons must be dismissed. I don’t know who the cyclist was, but if he be a member of a club affiliated to the N.C.U. or not, it seems to me to afford a grand opportunity for the N.C.U. to to distinguish itself by taking action against the energetic constable who distinguished himself by illegal arrest. It is a crying shame if a man, whether a cyclist or not, is to be arrested and detained at a police-station merely that the police should be enabled to try an experiment as to whether the ruling of two of Her Majesty’s judges cannot be evaded. I give an opinion I have obtained from a legal friend on the subject. He is a good fellow and a cyclist to boot, and he thinks that a lampless cyclist riding in the dark, and at any pace, is riding to the common danger as long as he is not protected by the lighted lamps of other people. lam inclined to think that he is not far wide of the mark. The most careful of us are by accident or forgetfulness obliged to ride lampless sometimes, and to pass along alone is not without danger to one

self as well as to others. There are, I feel sure, some cases in which the police would be fully justified in stopping and detaining a cyclist who might be lampess, but, as Mr Lang said, each case will have to be adjudicated upon on its own merits. The Collectors of Customs in New Zealand have received instructions not to require an entry or a deposit of duty in the case of any bicycle belonging to a bona fide tourist from abroad. The production of a certificate from the seretary of a cycling club, as suggested by the New Zealand Cyclists’ Touring Club, will aid officers in the Customs in deciding whether or not the owner of a bicycle is a bona fide tourist. The same concession will be made in the case of New Zealand tourists returning from Australia, providing the Collectors of Customs are satisfied that the bicycle is one which had been acquired during his stay in the Australian colonies.

The Christchurch Cycling Club has received 50 acceptances for the the New Zealand Wheel Face, which will be run on Saturday next. Campbell (Auckland) has not accepted. Almost every town in New Zealand is represented, so the race promises to be a splendid one. The League of New Zealand Wheelmen intend having a conference with representatives of various clubs on Friday night.

Several important matters will be discussed, and if the conference goes the right way to work, the result should be of considerable benefit to League clubs. The success of A. J. Body, who is an old Canterbury boy, in the Austral Wheel Face was well received here (writes our Christchurch correspondent). Every cyclist would, however, have preferred that Body should have finished a half-wheel in front of Carpenter.