ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 425, 15 September 1898, 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. See. LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND WHEELMENThe Governing Body of Cycling in New Zf aland, 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 dycling Club M.S. Brunette Foxton Cycling Club C. T. Austin Hastings Cycling Club ... H. Sjmonds Hawera Cycling Club ... ... W. I). 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 1- ng it Wanganui & W.C. Cycling Club Wairarapa Cycling Club P. C. Reynolds Woodville Rovers Cycling Club H. P. Home Weraroa Cycling Club C. Thompson New Plymouth Cycling Club ... H. H. Mace Reliance Cycling Club F. L. f-eager Fetone-Hutt Cycling Club ... F. Packard Ariel Cycling Club... ... ... H. Thompson Christchurch Cycling Club ... F. D. Kesteven Denniston Cycling Club ... J. T. Jaspers Greymouth Cvcling Club ... E. M. Sheedy Hokitika Cycling Club ... F.L. Kirwan Invercargill Cvcling Cash Club... XV . E. (Hailstone Jubilee C> cling Club ■ ... T. G. Jamieson Kaikoura Cycling ( lub J. B. Boithwick 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 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. MeLauhlan Balelutba 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.

WELLINGTON PHYSICAL TRAINING SCHOOL.

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 peison who does not hold a licence under the Amattur 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 whatever from a cycle manufacturer, agent,sport pi omoter, 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.peison 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 bya person undersuspension.

It is just possible that the Auckland Cycling Club will hold their spring carnival on the Auckland Exhibition track. If rumour speaks truly, the recently formed Waitemata Cycling Club (under Leagce rules) is not likely to have a long lease of life. I thought from the first that they would have a tight struggle to live, as there is hardly room in Auckland for two cash club. Dexter and Crozier, the local Yankee machine agents, imported a new Rambler triplet by the last’Frisco mail boat, which is to be used for pacing purposes. . There is some talk of another shipment of the Beeston-Humber Company’s bicycles being put on the Auckland market for sale by auction in the near future. Preliminary arrangements for the Auckland Cycling Club’s October gathering are going swimmingly, and one of the most successful meetings ia the history of the club it looked forward to. At the Crystal Palace (London) on July 27th, the English amateur, H. W. Payne, covered a mile (paced from flying start) in Imin 39 2-ssec, a world’s record. • v C. H. Carette, the well-known English writer, advises single pacing for scratch races instead of the time limit. ■ < - In Great Britain there are 20,923 workers tin cycle factories. More than half of these are. in Warwickshire, with 161 factories; Staffordshire comes second with 44 factories, employing 19&5 persons. London has 45 factories. Only 81 persons are employed in Ireland and 447 in Scotland. Children are excluded from the industry. Here is a brand-new bit of populistic, grangerground humour taken from an lowa paper: “We have heard of a young man, whose parents won’t buy him a bicycle, who is going to make one for himself by using the frame of his mind, the wheels of his head, the seat of his pants, the rubber in his neck, and a part of that tired feeling.” .. , , - . An important alteration to the racing rules as originally drawn up was made at the New Zealand League’s general meeting. The rule read thus : —’* (c) In case of any race being run in heats where the track is under 15ft wide, not more than eight competitors shall start level in each heat: under 20ft ten competitors ; 20ft and over, each competitor shall be allowed not less than 2ft of room. Note.—lt is recommended that as far as possible all races shall be run straight out.” Mr T. Clarkson stated that it would be ridiculous to allow of eight riders being started within an an area of 15ft, and on his suggestion “eight” was altered to “five,” “ten” to “seven,” and “two feet” to “three feet.” The necessity of the alteration will be apparent to racing men. A twenty-five miles paced race between J. Michael and T. Linton, was decided at the Manhattan Beach track, Brooklyn,’ New York, on July 23rd, when there were about 12.000 Spectators, and (says a New York paper) the contest was one of the best ever witnessed any where, the interests of the spectators being maintained at high pitch from beginning to end, while the enthusiastic scenes marking the progress of the race, at all stages, was unequalled at this favorite track, so close was the contest, with Michael in front save at the end of the twentieth and twenty-first miles. And when he spurted to the fore on the last mile, shooting away from his rival until he had placed a distance of over one hundred and fifty yards between them, the uproar was tremendous, and thus it continued until the favorite crossed the tape a winner of the greatest race of his life. Owing to the prevalence of a very stiff wind, coupled with the fact that in the early part of the race each waited upon the other for several laps, no record breaking was indulged in. Michael’s time was 46inin 0 3-ssec. The balance-sheet to be presented to the annual meeting of members of the N.Z. League of Wheelmen this month shows that with receipts of £561 15s 9d, the expenditure has been only £lB 13s 7d less, that being the balance in hand. The receipts at the championship meeting totted up to the goodly sum of £384 5s 9d (the balance sheet does not show how this is made up), but the expenses amounting to £342 I9s 7d, there was only a balance of £4l 16s 2d. Surely the championship meeting should be worked more economically than this. The assets, besides the balance of £lB 13s 7d in the bank, consist of •• stationery, posters, &c., £20,” and the liabilities are nil. The annual report, in referring to the finances, says:—“Large expenses have been incurred in the extension of the League’s sphere of operations,” but what shape these expenses took is not stated, unless the item “ travelling expenses, £17,” is meant. “Sundry small accounts, £2O lOs 2d,” may certainly cover expenses incurred in the direction referred to, but no doubt the hon. treasurer will explain to the meeting the details if required. The roll now stands at fifty-nine affiliated clubs, and during the past season the sum of £67 14s was received in subscriptions from the clubs. In his 30 mile match with Linton, at Philadelphia, Edward Taylor, of France, put up a marvellous ride. At the end of the distance Linton won by covering the 30 miles in 53min 1 Osec, beating the previous record (held by McDuffee) bv 3min 23sec. Taylor then kept on for an hour, and accomplished the world’s record distance of 33 miles 936yds in the sixty minutes. The best performance ;in .an hour hitherto has been that of J. W. Stocks, who rode 32 miles 1086yds.

Sports promoters in America, who have been at their wits’ end to find a drawing novelty, have hit upon what is termed “ The Australian pursuit Race,” and struck luck and dollars. The race similar to those run in Australia, wherein a certain number of men are placed at equal distances around the track, and each as he is caught retires. The public seem to enjoy the Spectacle of the riders going after each other’s scalps immensely. At Woodside Park recently the spectators went almost frantic in their excitement over the race, and a large body of police had to be requisitioned to keep them from rushing the track, party feeling ran so high. The fifty miles road championship .of the League of Victorian Wheelmen was decided on August 20, and was won by Corbett, of the Victory Club. In the last quarter of a mile about a dozen riders were in a bunch, and a desperate race ensued, Corbett getting home by a wheel from Forbes, with Hunt and Jewell almost a dead heat for third place, half a wheel behind Forbes. The time was 2hrs 47min 25sec.