CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 185, 14 January 1915, Page 7

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

OVERLAXI MOTOR CYCLE TE S 1 . MELBOURNE TO jSiBXKY.

jho lifth annual unittjr cyclt: reliability trial bctwivn Alcllj< ill li? ami Sydney (565] mile-;,) was carricJ tercugli successfully during -.lie hit: -i end of December, under tin ijint oegaiiis atton of the N.S.W. and Victorian Motoi Cycle Clubs. The overland route was divije.l into kur sections which had fo be negotiated on successive days, the stages being as follows.—Melbourne in V't.ngaratta (147.}. miles) on Tuesd; y, December 2!) th; Wangaratta to Guudagai (l(iJ% miles) oil December ;i0; Gundagai to Ooulburn (120 miles) on December 21; and Uoulburu tc> Sydney (.132% 'miles), on January J, Contestants were divided into three classes, those riding 'machines with a cylinder capacity of under 500 c.c., those over f>GO e.c., anil those using a. side-car attachment, whilst in addition any three competitors, using the same make of machine were allowed to nominate for a team contest. Varying speed averages were allotted to the respective classes over the dillcrent stages, ranging from Hi m.p.li. over bad roads to 24 m.p.li. over good. Unpromising weather .marked the start of the run from Melbourne, and consid-

ering all the circumstances the club's organiser must have been gratified at obtaining 45 starters, including four side car combinations and two '•sociables." The test was one of reliability, and not of speed, points being deducted for breakages, or for early or late arrivals at various places. Three hills on the overland route were "observed" by officials to see that no dismounting or assistance to machines was given. The actual winners of the trial will not be known until after the judges have issued their report, but at this stage it looks as if the Douglas team, hailing from Xew South Wales, comprising Messrs P. Meller, E. Mcller. and E. A. Delando. will carry oft the teams prize, but it is hardly likely than an individual winner of tile test will be found, anil there will probably be a number of contestants ticing for first place. The most conspicuous success was that attained by the side-car combinations, three out of the four starters obtaining full points. A remarkable feature of the running was that 1!) of the riders lost points on the first day's run. when the machines were iu a thoroughly "tuned-up" state, whilst only live more riders lost points on the remaining 417 miles of the journey. The overland route on the whole was in a better condition than in previous trial-. The test was in every way a success.

That cycle racing is booming in the I'nited States is evident from the fact that some £20,000 was distributed in America during the pa-t track racing season. The Australian crack—A. Gonllet—leads the list of winnings, he having won about C 1 . it) addition tn a considerable amount of appearance money, bonuses, etc. F. Kramer comes second on the list, whilst the Tasinanian champion, A. Grcnda, won about CT.'iO. Another Australian. A. -F, Clark, did not do as well as usual, but the fact that he receives a retaining fee of £.■ 100 puts him well on the right side. The 48 hours team track -rac" at Sydney on New Year's Day resulted in a win for Messrs A Macßcth and G. Atkins. of New South Wales. The weather was anything but favorable for the race, still sonic fine racing was witnessed in the two days' contest. Seven teams of two riders each contested the event, the conditions being similar to the riding rules of the six days* race ! held in (Australia. At the conclusion of the long ride. MacTieath and Atkins held a lap ahead. There was therefore called off the track, and the remaining four teams, who were level, were left to fight out for the other three prizes. The places for second and third were E. A. Priestley, and 1?. .T. Ilazelton. and L. .1. Orchard and K. S. Xivens. Tin- distance covered was 700 miles. This would have belli greater, only thai a temporary halt had to be called on New Year's night, owing to heavy rain and wind. It would be difficult to over-estimate the part automobiles are playing in the greatest of all wars that is at present in operation. A bare list of the various types of motor vehicles that are being 1 employed, ami the equally varied range of purposes to which they are being applied would lake up columns, and it is safe to say that the conditions on which warfare will be carried on in the future will be still further radically altered as a result of the experience that is being gained in the awful struggle against our enemies. It was. of course, long since realised that motor vehicles would replace horses in the maintenance of supplies to the front, but perhaps one of tin' developments which was not quite so certain is the prominent part armored gnu carrying cars are taking in the operations. There seems little doubt whether the main credit for this departure is due. to the enemy or to the brave Belgains. but so far as the Allies are concerned, the latter have undoubtedly shown that the armored car is likely to become as dread an instrument of war as the historic chariots were to the enmies of ancicn tßritain. As to the use of such vehicles in connection with the operations that are being carried 011 by the English troops, it is the naval branch of the service that has far led the way. Tll the hands of the Tioyal Xaval Tieserve. a fleet of machines of this type has already done such valuable work in freeing many villages from the small batches of German soldiers. ami in putting Uhlans to flight, that it is highly gratifying to know that their number is being largely increased. The latter departure of the ' naval authorities is that of organising j a squadron of motor cyclists equipped I -with side-car machines, on which Scot.t- ---! Maxims are to be mounted. Three hunS dred expert riders are being trained, two j for each machine, to take turns in drivintr and in working the gun.