MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1897. THE BICYCLE.

Hastings Standard, Issue 347, 14 June 1897, Page 2

MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1897. THE BICYCLE.

Not so very long ago in a certain township on the west const of this island a tailor found it necessary to sue a recalcitrant debtor. The latter, a young man, while in the presence of His Worship excused himself for not attending to the demands of his tailor on the grounds that he had bought a bicycle and was paying for it on the time payment, consequently he had nothing left with which to discharge his obligations to the tailor. It was an impudent excuse, but it serves to illustrate the fact that the bicycle has attained a very respectable position in the affections of the people. The wheel has made a profound impression on the community, and numbers all classes amongst its admirers. The old man with the proverbial foot in the grave rides the bike, and the miss in her teens " scorches " by, charmed and captivated by the bicycle. In the larger towns and in the cities one may stand at a street corner and make sure of seeing scores of cyclists, young and old, male and female, and of every complexion, peddling past, some on pleasure others bent on business. The bike has supplied a " long felt want," and there can be no wonder then that the bicycle business is in a lively state. The development and progress of the bicycle trade is clearly shown in the New Zealand Trade Review and Prices Current, the organ of the Wellington Chamber of ComAierce. In 1893 the value of bicycles, tricycles, and material imported into the colony was valued at £8,614; in 1894 the value mounted to £13,538, increasing to £20,312 in 1895. in JS96 the figures reached the responsible total of £99,664; or more than double the value of what w T as imported in 1893, 1894, and 1895 put together. The Review commenting on these figures says :—" The rapidity of the expansion of this trade is shown by the fact that in the last quarter alone of 1896 the value of imports was oyer £59,000, leaving

only some £40,000 for the first nine months." The trade shows every tenlency to expand, and the figures for the six months ending 31st March, 1897, are astounding. In the twentysix weeks there were imported into the colony 6828 bicycles, or an average of 262 a week, of the value of £2983, exclusive of duty. The value of the bicycle material on the weekly average amounted to £IBB7, making the total for bicycles and material each week for the period under review £1370. The Customs duty on this importation amounted to £17,224, which means that the Government received from the importers of bicycles and accessories £662 a week for each of the twenty-six weeks ending 31st March, 1896. The aggregate value of bicycles and material, including the duty for the six months, was £130,859, or an average per week of £5033. The average declared value of the 6828 bicycles was about £ll 7s without the duty of 20 per cent., and from this it can be seen that the retail price of the bike leaves a fair margin of profit. The imports were distributed as follows :

Total 6828 The imports into Wellington, according to the above figures, were 104 machines a week.

A PUBLIC RECREATION GROUND.

A meeting of citizens is called for tonight to take into consideration the formation ot a public recreation ground for Listings. .Many of our prominent townsmen, including Captain Russell and Mr C. A. Fitzßoy, have promised to support thy movement, and probably a provisional committee will be at once set up to go into ways and means and to report in detail with a view of purchasing a suitable ground. Every town of importance in the colony has its recreation reserve, and there are many first-class grounds in much smaller places than Hastings. We understand that there will be no difficulty in obtaining a site in close proximity to the town, and that the terms of purchase are very reasonable. Situated on a shingle bed on high ground good naturaldrainage is assured, and a company would be justified in going to some little expense in putting oil a good top dressing and laying out a banked cycling track. There are no difficulties to overcome ; it is merely a matter of expenditure 011 the layingout of the grounds. With judicious management good interest will be paid on any capital invested and sufficient should remain from receipts to allow of constant improvements. In time no doubt Hastings will be as proud of its recreation ground as Christchurch is of its Lancaster Park. The Athletic Park in Wellington was scooped out of a hill of clay, and it promises to be one of the most payable grounds in the colony. We know of another ground formed by filling in a swamp, and this now returns to its promotors handsome dividends. The impetus the local ground will give to sport must be taken into consideration in forming an estimate of probable receipts. Football, which is again coining into prominence after being dead last season, is certain to attract hundreds to good matches. Cricket always has its admirers, and if the ground can be ready by March next perhaps Stoddart, Rangisinghi, and Co. might be induced to meet a Hawke's Bay eleven here. Tennis is a neglected sport which might well be resuscitated, especially in the interest of young women. Then we have the cycling craze, which is increasing every day, and judging by the large number of machines in this locality sports for amateurs and others might profitably be promoted. Pedestrianism always proves a draw, and there are various other kinds of athletics that receive promotion by the formation of a ground such as is now proposed. There should be no trouble in raising the capital required, as the investment is certain to be a profitable one. In a day or two the Standard hopes to be in a position to report the project in fall swing.

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