Motoring and Cycling Notes.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 October 1911, Page 4

Motoring and Cycling Notes.

© — (From tlio Duiilop Rubber Company). GOULIHJRiX - SYDNEY RACE WON BY W. REXNIE (Vic.) The premier' road event of New .South Wales, the Dunlop lload Race i'lioin Goulburn to -Sydney (131 miles) was held on Saturday, and resulted in a clean sweep of tihe moat important prizes by Victorian riders. The event was won 'by W. llennio olf tlie 30 minutes mark, with D. Kirkham second off scratch, bot'li of whom hail from Victoria. Kirkham ■went very near repeating his performs nee of last year, when be won lirst and fastest in the "Goulburn." His ride 'from sera-toll in the event under notice was a very brilliant performance, for h'e negotiated the 13 1 miles of 'hilly country in dir. 19min. 31sec., which is nearly 1G minutes better "than the previous record of the course, established by T. Larcombe in 1 DOS. W. Rennie, the wnncr, negotiated the course in dir. Mm in. 42sec He finished second in -the " Warrnanibool" of 1908, starting off the 49 minutes mark_ and riding IGS miles ill Bhr. 3min. osec., so that he was liberally treated in this year's "Gonlbnrn." J. Wilson, another Victorian rider, rail third ; "Wilson finished second in last year's event. Out of an .acceptance of 1.27 riders, one hundred face<l the starter, the greater number of wlk.hi acconijilisihedtrecour.se. The fastest New South "Wales rider wa,s "W. Cotteri'll, who finished fourth off the 23 minutes mark, and be will Diobably officially represent the Mother State in the Australasian road eshamnioiishiij) event to be held from Warriinm'bool to Melbourne 'on Saturday October 14. The first six riders to finish. following are the previous winners of the "Goulburn" :— 1902. L. Littlechild (X.S.W.), 7'lir 52min. 1903. 0. H. Brook (N.S.W.), 7-hr 28m in. 1901. T. C. ."Robinson (X.S.W.), 7 hr. oomin. 1905. M. Robinson (X.S.W.). Ghr. 44m in. 190 G. R. H. Jefforay (X.S.W.). Bhr Bmin. 1907. A. Walcot (X.S.W.), Crr. 57 min . 1908. M. Robinson (X.S/W.). filir. 46m in. 1909. P. W. Hardy (X.S.W.), 7-hr 11 min. 1910. IX Kirkham (Vic.), Ghr. 47 min. C. R. Collier, the crack motor cyclist of England, did not leave J. De hosier's new world's records for the flying mile and flying kilometre (1093 yds) stand on the .sheets very long, for by the English mail we learn that Collier lias e.st.a.blishe 1 two wonderful records on Brookhmds Track (England), in one instance travelling at a speed of over 90 miles an hour. The new figures are : A mile in 39 2-ssec., and the kilometre in 25 seconds. The time for the mile is equal to a speed of 91.37 miles jier .hour. The Commonwealth military authorities are taking a keen interest in the big Relay Despatch Ride between cars, motor cycles and bicycles, which the Dunlop Rubber Company are organising from Adelaide to Sydney, a distance of 1149 miles. Senator Pearce, Minister for Defence, has deputed Colonel Mackey, the Officer in Command of the Australian Intelligence Corps, to confer with the promoters and discuss and arrange the details of the contest. A striking and convincing demonstration of the efficiency or the Silent Knight Slide Vale engine, incorporated in the. Minerva car was given at the Mount Macedon Hill Climbcontest, 'held by the Automobile Club of Victoria last Saturday, and although some of the gradient is 1 in 7, the Dunlop-shod " Minerva" driven by Mr J. W. Moffat romped up the mountain road at a speed of 32 miles an hour. This was the fastest time recorded. Acceptances for Australia's premier road event, tihe Dunlop Road Pace, from Warrnanibool to Melbourne, closed with the Dunlop Rubber Company on Saturday, September 30th. From appearances tihe forthcoming contest promises to prove one of the most interesting of the series for tlie Australasian road championship, for with a shortened handicap and a particularly strong lot of riders on the back marks, it looks 'as if the first class riders will get up amongst the front marks before Melbourne is readied. Already several of the inter-State and Xew Zealand riders have arrived, and many others will be leaving for Melbourne at 'an early date. All told it is anticipated that abo-ut forty jinter-State riders will compete for the road championship blue riband, including most of the best riders in Australasia. The last of the test races—held annually to sel-' ect inter-State representatives for the "Warrnambool" will be held on .Saturday, viz., the Launceston to Hohart (120 miles) and the Burra to North Adelaide (100 miles). Both events have drawn good entries, and as tibey decide the respective itoad championships of Tasmania and .South Australia interesting contests aro anticipated. Tn view of tlie recommendation made in the recent rej>ort of MajorGeneral lvirkpa trick Inspector-Gen-eral of the Commonwealth military force®, that more use should be made in this country of motor cyclists for despatch and other purposes, it is interesting to mote that the 25th London Cyclists' Batallion now lias amongst its equipment several Maxim guns mounted on motor tricycles. During recent manoeuvres in Sussex, these guns proved tlie most mobile and effective in tlie British army. This is. the type of gun mounting that -should give splendid results i:i till is country, for a powerful motor tricycle can go almost anywhere Where trere is a vehicle track It would be instructive and interesting it' the Commonwealth military authorities would give a motormounted Maxim a. trial. The very vehicle fi:r the purpose is now to be seen ruiming around commercial •houses. Wo refer to tilie 5-6 h.p. Auto-Carrier, which can propel a load of Gowts (besides driver) ait a "smart pace over give and take roads. This little vericle 'would be just the thing for mounting a' Maxim gun on, audi if the military -authorities were nlesirous of giving tihe motor Maxim a trial there s little doubt that one of the several, machines now ■available could be obtained for the purpose. ——