Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW . AND . LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, April 13, 1899. THE LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND WHEELMEN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 455, 13 April 1899, Page 10

Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW . AND . LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, April 13, 1899. THE LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND WHEELMEN.

In our issue of March 23 we published an article dealing with several matters that are now creating considerable interest amongst cyclists throughout New Zealand. The information on which we based? our article was supplied by a correspondent in whom we have the utmost confidence, knowing as we do that he is a person who is in a position to give us anything we require concerning the working of the League of New Zealand, Wheelman. Having said this we take exception to a journal like the New Zealand Cyclist, or any other paper, stating that the information we supply our readers on cycling matters is inspired and misleading. The Cyclist is a comparatively young journal with a two years existence, and for ought we know the members of its staff have probably gained what little they know about cycling in that short space of time. The Cyclist is the official organ of the League, and the editor is, we believe, a member of the Executive of the League, therefore it is only to be expected that anything in the direction of criticism of the League is sure to meet with disapproval. We asserted, and still assert, that the few newspaper men who are acting as League delegates were the prime movers in getting the cycle employees off the League. One of their number issued a circular to some of the affiliated clubs and read the replies he received favourable to his ideas at the annual meeting. It is quite true, as the Cyclist points out, that the trade did not want representation on the League, but almost every firm was favourable to the proposal to allow their employees, if they wished, to take part in League affairs. There is a wide difference between an employer and an employee, and if employees were always compelled, to represent the wishes of their employers on athletic organisations there would be very few of the former taking part in the government of sports. As we said before, we are still of opinion that if cycle employees are to be debarred from holding offices in the League, then to be consistent the cycle newspaper men, who get a portion of their bread and butter from the League, must also be debarred. Wore it not for the League and the trade the Cyclist would probably’have to close its doors, ‘and it seems ridiculous that the members of its staff should be allowed to hold important positions on the body from which their paper derives a considerable amount of revenue. It is all very well for the Cyclist to say that we have made “ fatuous attempts at prophecy.” The Cyclist knows only too well that we have been supplied with information that is calculated to set clubs thinking, and because we have seen fit to place such information before our readers it makes a very feeble attempt to defend itself and staff. The Storting Review does not wish to enter into a newspaper squabble with the Cyclist or any other paper, but when it takes upon itself to publish, information on League matters that is perhaps news to the Cyclist, it is to be hoped that that journal will show a better spirit in criticising the same.