ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 430, 20 October 1898, Page 6

ON THE WHEEL

[By

Cyclos.]

Auckland, October 27th, 1896. To the Proprietors, Sporting Review, Auckland. Dear Sirs,—l have pleasure in advising you that the Sporting Review has been appointed the Official Organ of the Auckland Cycle Club. Yours faithfully, E. G. SKEA.TES, Hon. Sec. LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND WHEELMEN. The 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. Home. Weraroa Cycling Club C. Thompson New Plymouth Cycling Club ... H. H. Mace Reliance Cycling Club F. L. Seager Petone-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 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.O.&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 Clubl. 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 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 gr anted 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 in 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, o. 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.

The Auckland Cycling Club’s Carnival of Saturday week should prove the most attractive gathering yet held under the auspices of the Auckland cash body, as the entries for the principal events on the programme embrace the foremost riders of the colony. Teddy Reynolds and several others have ridden on the Exhibition banked track, and pronounce it perfectly safe for ordinary riders. The affiliation of the Wellington Cycling Club to the League of Wheelmen has been effected, the League agreeing to allow the club to retain its old name and to instruct the cash club already in existence to arrange another name. Reynolds will not ride against the southern cracks at the Auckland Cycling Club’s meeting, but intends to train for the League championships at Wanganui next month. Jack Green may not visit Australia this season, as he has had several good English offers since winning the Cuca Cup. “ Plugger Bill” Martin is now out with a proposal for Australia’s champion, R. Walne, to go across to the States and run a series of paced matches. Considering that Martin himself has great difficulty in collecting sufficient pacers for his own use, we should like to know where Walne would obtain his (says a Melbourne exchange). We opine that this is only another bit of bluff on William’s part. Entries for the Auckland Cycling Club’s carnival closed on Saturday evening, when perusal of the list in the principal races revealed the names of such well-known riders as Middleton, Sutherland, Ralston, Chalmers, Barker, “ Scorcher ” Jones, Maxwell, and others. The Thames Cycling Club are pressing forward the arrangements in connection with their spring meeting on November 9, and indications point to a very successful gathering. Entries for all events close on Saturday next. “Major” Taylor, the negro, defeated Jimmy Michael in a three-heat paced race, each heat being a mile. Michael won the first heat in Imin 44 l-ssec, and Taylor the second and third heats in Imin 43 2-ssec and Imin 4! 2-ssec respectively. The former competition record for a mile was Imin 45 3-ssec. Last week I stated that the Auckland Cycling Club would probably decide to cater for amateurs next year. The statement is, I notice, confirmed by the Auckland correspondent of the Cyclist. It has been decided by the Waikato Amateur Athletic Club, in place of the ten-mile bicycle race which was to have taken place early in December, to substitute a novelty in the way of cycling Melbourne Punch is out with a good suggestion for the inclusion in our cycle programme of a novelty known in England as the “ Balaclava melee.” The game is played in much the same way as the military show of the same name, but the competitors are mounted on bicycles. Each man is equipped with gauntlet and vizored helmet, to which is attached a plume of colored paper shavings, and provided with a wooden sword; in fact, the ordinary single-stick outfit is all that is required. At the word of command bicycles are mounted and the respective columns charge headlong at each other. Each man’s object is to deprive an opponent of the decorations on his headgear. The game calls for considerable smartness, and the clever way the riders manage their machines gives the onlookers the impression that things are not so easy as they seem. At the expiry of a certain period, a bugle sounds, and the combatants return and place their helmets in a double line before the judge, who decides by the condition of the plumes which side is victorious. The European racing men who went over to the States at the opening of the year (says Cyclist} are coming back one after the other, very much worse off from a financial point of view. Jaap Eden, Boulay, and Cissac are the latest to get back to Paris, and they have a lot to say about their bad experience over there.

contests by holding a competition, open for one month for November 10 next, and the rider who puts up the fastest time for one mile (unpaced) during that time to be declared the winner. A rider (states the Waikato Argus) may make any number of attempts, and the days set apart for trials are Tuesday and Friday in each week, when timekeepers will be present. Entries close on Saturday, 19th instant, with the secretary, from whom any other details can be obtained. Contests like these should be the means of keeping up interest on the local track during the approaching season. Great disgust is expressed in some quarters on account of the report that J. W. Stocks has been refused a professional license, and further indignation is expressed that no reasons are given for the refusal. It appears to u (Cyclist) that—although we are as sorry as anyone if Stocks cannot take part in the Catord Gold Vase race on this account —it is perfectly clear that if he has been pacing unlicensed riders on the road on motor cycles, he can scarcely expect the union to condone such a serious breach of its rules, especially as action of this kind is likely to do further injury to the cause of the pastime in the eyes of the public. Cycle racing in America does not seem to be the bed of roses it is cracked up to be. Wheeling (England) says in a recent issue:—“Jaap Eden, the Dutchman, has pleasant recollections of the United States. When he got to Buffalo his two machines were ‘ not there.’ The same was the case with Messrs Gongolz and Lumberjack, who travelled with him. It turned out that Mr Wilson, the agent of the Morgand Company, who had engaged the riders, had pledged their machines in order to pay their rail and hotel expenses Only 14 days later they got their machines with great trouble. Eight weeks after this Eden’s racing machines were ‘ busted’ in an express accident, and he had to do the balance of his season on a touring machine. At the quarter-mile championship the umpire gave the negro, ‘ Major’ Taylor, first, and Jaap fifth, and it was only when the negro insisted that Jaap was the winner that the umpire placed him (Jaap) second, and he has not yet got the £lO prize. In New York he had to pay Johnson and Eek’s hotel bill, about £5, and of this he has not got a penny. When he claimed it back at Philadelphia it was curtly refused.” The executive of the N.S.W. Cyclists’ Union have determined to send a representative to compete in the world’s championships to be decided in Canada next year. Should Goodson retain his form and status, it will not be a difficult matter to decide upon the union’s representative, for at the present moment he occupies the same position among amateurs that Walne holds in the professional ranks. Both these champions hail from Queensland.