ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 414, 30 June 1898, Page 5

ON THE WHEEL

[Bx

Cyclos.]

I 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, I E. G. SKEATES, Hon. Sec. ’ LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND WHEELMENThe Governing Body of Cycling in New Zealand, AMATEUR and CASH. Affiliated to National Cyclists Union of England. International Cyclists Association and to the Leagues of Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, and Western Australia. AFFILIATED CLUBS. Club. Secretary. Auckland Cycling Club .., ... G. Peace Carterton Cycling Club ... ... W. McKenzie Danevirke Cycling Club G. N. Wallace Egmont Cycling Club ... ... N. Benporath Feilding Cycling Club M.S. Brunette Foxton Cycling Club C. T. Austin Hastings Cycling Club H. Symonds Hawera Cycling Club W. D. Nicholas Huntly Cycling Club .. ... W. Ellison Manawatu Cycling Club J. F. Manning Otaki Cycling Club A. Knocks Pahiatua Cycling Club J. Connel Rangitikei Cycling Club J. Robson Wellington Cycling- Club C. E. Eagar Wanganui & W.C. Cycling Club 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. IZ Seager Fetone-Hutt Cycling Club ... F. Packard Ariel Cycling Club H. Thompson Christchurch Cycling Club ... F. D. Kesteven Denniston Cycling Club J. T. Jaspers 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 IT. H. Twemlow Selwyn Cycling Club G. Porter Linwood Cycling Club T. Reed Amberley Rovers J. Blain Alexandra Cycling Club J. R. Cairns Otago Cycling Club A. Munden Roxburgh Cycling Club B. V. Reilly Vincent Cycling Club G. Stumbles \ Invercargill A.C. & A.C E. Norton Dunedin Cycling Club ... ... W. R. Brugh Lawrence Cycling Club J. B. Rinley Middlemarch Cycling Club ... J. Robertson Star Cycling Club J. W. Manchester Mataura Cycling Club T. G. Smith ' West Taieri Cycling Club ... J. Mcßride Gore Cycling Club J. C. Allan Westport Cycling Club J. S. Webb Wyndham Cycling Club D. J. McLauhlan Balclutha Cycling Club J. W. Mitchell Otago Railway Cycling Club ... C. Coon Stratford Cycling Club ... G. Pritchard Wanderers Cycling Club ... C. Cunningham Nelson Cycling Club ... ... N. B. Levien Wanganui Cycling Club ... J. T. Muir Thames Cycling Club ... ... T. Day 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 1 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 anv 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 whatever 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 jn cycle racing, or training or coaching any person therein, as a means of obtaining a livelihood, b. Or competing 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. 1

Mr E. Norden, of the Auckland Cycling Club, returned from South last week, and reports League matters flourishing in the South. The talked of match between Forbes and Sutherland has gone “ bung,” neither rider seeming inclined to come to business when brought together. Like the newspaper correspondence between pugilists, the scheme was evidently merely an advertising dodge, a wordy warfare. Body, the old New Zealand cyclist, who has been racing in Australia returned to New Zealand a few days since, and according to a Southern paper, will go on to America and the Continent shortly to measure speed with the big guns. Teddy Reynolds seems rather anxious to meet Sutherland, and expresses the hope that the League Champion will cime North during our big Industrial Exhibition Carnival. The most interesting item in cycling circles since my notes of last week (says “ Demon ” in the Otago Witness) is the successful attempt of P. Ralston to break the 50-mile record. To take llsec off a record does not seem to be mnch of a performance, bat when the state of the roads and the weather are taken into account the ride becomes creditable indeed. Ralston’s record of 2hrs 25min 26sec will stand now till next season. The programme for the Austral Meeting in December has been framed. The prizes for the big race this year will be increased, the first being £240, second £l2O. The total value of prizes amounts to no less than £7OO. A cycling novelty in the fcrm of a brass band m 'tinted on bicycles rides round the streets of Christchurch. Despite the assertions of the slump in the cycle trade, the English factories are still busy, and notices of “ hands wanted ” remain at the doors of all for weeks at a stretch. The Prince of Wales learnt to ride the bicycle in eight lessons, and did not have a single fall. His instructor was Mr Stanton, who exercised great care with his Royal pupil. ** Lancelot,” writing in Bicycling News, says : “ Nothing will tend to purify the ama’eur ranks more than a well governed flourishing professionalism,” to which the N.Z. Cjclists’ Alliance may add Amen.

The Christchurch City Council is considering the question of providing accommodation for bicycles by erecting a railing in front of the Post Office, where machines may be allowed to rest. Auckland City Fathers please note. Twin roller chains will be much sought after by New Zealand cyclists next season, and owing to the difficulty in getting sufficient supplies from England, New Zealand manufacturers will not, it is expected, be able to get large enough stocks. The New Zealand League of Wheelmen claims the largest membership roll in the Australian colonies. The Maoriland governing body have over 4,000 members, as against the 3,500 under the New South Wales League. R. Hendry, the Auckland rider, is at present in Christchurch, and will in all probability remain here for some time. “ Bob ” intends, if possible, to train next season at Lancaster Park, by which means he hopes to get into his very best form. There is no getting away from the fact that a rider who has trained on a grass track is at a great disadvantage when called upon to meet cracks on an asphalt surface. A novel race is talked of in America. It is a one mile race paced by a locomotive, and the proposed contestants are Murphy, who has covered a mile before a gale on the road in Imin 0 4-ssec, and Anderson, who has ridden a mile paced by a railroad train in Imin 3sec Both men are anxious to get together and try to do a mile better than a minute. The idea is to lay a course on some long straight stretch and have the engine as a pacer. Michael (says an American paper) hold a unique and enviable position in the world of cycle racing, a position that has been held by no man since the days of Zimmerman. These two have held, by unanimous public consent, the proud position of undisputed champion of the sport. To be beaten by Michael has been considered not only no disgrace, but a mark of honor, in the fact of being considered sufficiently good to be pitted against him at all. To give him anything that approached a close race has been to achieve glory. At the present time he is the one unapproached attraction on any track in the country. His presence means more dollars of gate money than the presence of any other score of men. He and his manager are in a position to distate terms and to refuse offers at which other men would jump. He can make more money by the winning of a single race than any other champion in a whole season’s work. When he does not care to race he may pose as a IOOOOdoI. beauty behind pace at a’price that makes the rest, of the money spent on attractions seem insignificant. Really, in the language of the day, Michael is “ the whole thing.”