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.... Llandilo Board of Guardians.

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L L ANGEND EIR N E .j

6' ! Cycling.

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6' Cycling. Running down cases, with serious results, seem to be on the increase. What about the cat" t for the miscreants ? After all this road-hogism" is but another form of '• hooliganism," the only slight difference being that the possession of a smart horse and trap makes the owner appear to be a gentleman. The importation of pure Para rubber combined with skilful manufacture, and delicate attention to all minor detail in their construction, is doubtless the true secret of the success of the now famous Dunlop tyre. Like a certain household requisite the public will have no other." The N.C.U. have been doing some good work lately in erecting several danger-boards where they are mostly needed. This is the sort of thing which places the Union on the topmost pinnacle of popularity, to be apt with a simile. This, and the legal support in cases of assault upon cyclists will do more to popularise the N.C.U. than any amount of wrestling with the difficult amateur question. At one time of day it was quite safe to be out and about on one's bicycle after nightfall; but it seems nowadays that it is just a little bit risky to be riding alone and on a lonesome road when darkness has set in. Judging by the many cases of assault and robbery which have been lately per- petrated upon cyclists riding at night, it really looks as though a new Dick Turpin and party were attempting to revive the glories of the past. These knights of the road will have to be suppressed as the game is getting just a trifle serious. Here again the cat" would come in nicely. There are not many poetical humorists to be found in the world of wheels, at any rate not of that class whose writings are genuinely clever and amusing. There are men who are for everlast- ingly penning doggerel verse in the visitors' books at houses of call on the road. They can't help it, and nobody takes much notice of their soul-grating effusions. But when one of the real sort presents his work for notice, we are all pleased to peruse his witty lines. The good old Stanley club possess such a genius in a member who signs himself Winkle," and his poems would make you curl up with laughter like the little shell-fish whence this poet takes his cognomen. A fine capture was made of a road terror the other day, and every cyclist will be glad to hear of the fact. The pest had been in the habit of way- laying lady cyclists and his last act was that of robbery with violence upon a young lady, well connected. The robber walked off with the lady's purse after violently handling her but the police were fortunately informed in good time, and as several of the constables possessed bikes, they were soon scouring the country roads in search of the miscreant. They were rewarded by an early capture and the villain is now in durance vile awaiting orders from the judge—and the nine-tailed scarifier. One of the chief features at the Shows will probably be a good display of brakes of all kinds- band-brakes, plunger brakes, lever brakes and pneumatic brakes, and in fact several other startling novelties in this connection. Considering the number of fatalities and serious accidents which have happened during ihe past season through the absence of brakes, or their failure to be effective at the critical moment, this branch of the two great annual exhibitions should be well patronised. There is a fortune to be made in the absolutely reliable brake; not the one that only acts under certain conditions. A contemporary hits the j'ih nail on the head when it points out thedifficuhy of obtainiliga bbd for machines at railway stations. Why should not the companies have a small box on the platform of each important railway station containing labels for the use of cyclists? It would be only an inlinitcssimal expense and would leave the railway servants free to cope with the invariably over- whelming mountains of ordinary luggage which one sees so often on the platforms of the large termini. The suggestion is well worth the consideration of the progressive railway directorates. The new Dunlop tyre for 18:)¡ is a very smart- looking article, in addition to which of course it is perfectly made. The writer was shown a sample of the improved tyre the other day. and noticed that as usual the company have put some splendid work into its make-up. One thin wire now circles the rim three times instead of the one circlet ",l]:c11 has hitherto been used. Ti:" attaching and detaching of the new tyre is also much easier of manipulation, and again sciother good point is that the tyie now stands out farther from the rim. which in its turn is deeper than the old pattern. The other diy. the Lord Chief J tuciec announced his. intcntiou of patronising an important liugby football match. his lorddup demonstrated ill 1-1 nrc.c'ara'. i. ufi' by doing til" kick-off wiiii all the grace aud dignity becoming to the first oi Her ?Iajcsty\- Xow a- a ver\ good ••sate" re-tilted, ruin u-<: something of the sort —we can liav<i!v it all extra "-be infused into c'. de racing ucxt season ? by should not Mr. Balfour judge occasionally at., say, a championship meeting, or Lord l!os berry show an enthusiastic crowd how lie describes the last letter of the alphabet when riding a cycle. Again Lord Wolseley could tire the pistol and the Sirdar might direct the pacing operations, ill fact one could go on ad infinitum with suggestions of this kind, which rcrd'v require only to be put into practice to revive the sport beyond the grandest dreams of the racing enthusiasts. Now is the winter of our discontent," but let us hope it will not bring about too much discontent- ment in our hearts. Summer has been exceptionally good this year and the cyclist has nothing to hnd fault with 011 that score. Those riders who can extend their sen on should not. fail to do so for au October or early MovcrnVr ride is not a tiling to be dreaded on the contrary some exceptionally good cycling has been done at these periods of the year especially when the ra.m holds up. There is always sufficient mist about at night and morning to do the necessary work of keeping the road surface in proper condition. The first mile championship of the N.C.U. that was ever ridden was won by H. L. Cortis at Stamford Bridge, on June 12th. 187U. The long Wanderer's time for the distance on this occasion was 2 mins. 59], sees., and this on on a solid-tyred ordinary ridden on an unbanked cinder tracit Think of this ye latter-day champions How does this time under the conditions mentioned compare with that made on a fast banked cement track with the further fneedy aid of pneumatic tyres in the recent mile championship of the London Centre. It took E. J. Caliaglian 2 mins. 43 sees, to win this. Cortis was only 10 sees, slower; but of course they went all the way from start to finish in those days, excepting of course when they went over the handle-bars in the middle of Uw home straight.

LLANDILO.