Puncturing bicycles tyres is mean

• The following letter, which has been received by the hon. secretary, Central Council, Society for the Health of Women and Children, explains itself: - "Dear Madam, - the society is now so firmly established, and the Central Conference just terminated has given such definite shape and unity to your undertakings throughout the whole country, that I feel the time is opportune for me to formally sever my connection with a work in which my services have become less and less necessary of late, and for which I should have less and less time available in the future.

The enthusiasm and unanimity shown by the representatives from the various centres and their confidence in the permanence and progressiveness of all that has been taken in hand is the best guarantee for the future of your society.

Founded by yourselves in the special interest of mothers and babies, it has now passed beyond the experimental stage, and there is no reason to doubt that the measure and scope of your services to the community will continue to increase and fulfil the promise of the few years during which it has been my privilege to be associated with you. - Yours faithfully (signed), F. Truby King."

• To wantonly and deliberately puncture bicycle tyres is about as mean and despicable an action as can well be conceived of, and to make a practice of it throughout an afternoon is to betray a lamentable delight in ill-doing.

That, however, some persons are capable of this misdemeanour was brought home to several cyclists at Broad Bay on Saturday afternoon.

A number of machines were left standing on the roadside in front of a residence while the owners went out on the bay in a launch, and on their return they found the tyres of their machines damaged by pin and knife pricks.

Two or three separate instances of this occurred, and in view of this fact it would be well for cyclists in the future to exercise some discretion as to where they leave their machines while pleasure-seeking.

It would be a decided pity if any such stupid and malicious practice as this became general, as it would be greatly detrimental to the reputation and success of the resorts themselves. - ODT, 1.11.1909.