The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 143, 30 November 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30.

A love of the sea is inherent in Englishmen, and no marvel. With the blood of the ancient Vikings, those hardy Norsemen in whom the love of maritime adventure was so strong that it carried them beyond the limits of their own stormy . seas, until they reached the shores of Britain, running in their veins, Englishmen, no mattsr where located, have still such a fondness for the sea, that even one of their chief national sports is of a maritime character. The Regatta, with its sailing and pulling contests, has always been a special favourite amusement with them, whether carried out in their island home, or in those numerous colonies which the spirit of maritime adventure — inherited from their ancestors—has led them to found. The regattas of Cowes, of the Thames, as well as of numerous other places in Great Britain, together with the famous pulling races of Oxford and Cambridge, have attained a world-wide celebrity, and are looked forward to with great interest by all lovers of aquatic sports. In America, which may be regarded as the oldest offshoot of England, the same fondness for aquatic sports prevails, which has been extended to the later founded colonies in Australia. Long before the discovery of gold, that brought such a large influx of immigration to people the land, the regattas of Sydney and Hobart Town were well known from the keenness of the friendly aquatic contests which distinguished them. As other parts of Australia came into notice as maritime and commercial centres, the regatta made its appearance, and, in New Zealand, also,, sailing and pulling races are indulged in with the same zest as in the old country. Hence, we are justified in arriving at the conclusion, that the love of the regatta, as a national pastime, is inherent in Englishmen wherever the*, may be located. The establishment of our own regatta is but an instance of the great partiality which Englishmen evince for aquatic sports. Apart, however, from this, Akaroa possesses features, which should render its regatta peculiarly attractive. The fine sheet of water of its land-locked harbour, affords ample room for every kind of contest, whether it be the yacht race or those pulling races which will ever hold a foremost place in all regattas. In addition to this, the fine scenery which surrounds the harbour, forming as it were an appropriate setting to its waters, must inevitably enhance the pleasure of a visit to the Akaroa Regatta. The truth is, that the attrtctions and suitability of the place have only to be more widely known to cause it to be more numerously visited and more fully appreciated. We think that the Akaroa Regatta Committee have acted wisely in inviting the attendance of competing crews from other parts of the Province ; and we would throw out a suggestion, which, although it may be too late to be acted on this year, yet, nevertheless, is worth bearing in mind. Why should not Akaroa Harbour be the .scene of an In-ter-provincial, or even an Inter-colonial Regatta ? It offers facilities for such an event which scarcely any other port in New Zealand possesses ; facilities, which, we are convinced, only require to be more widely and fully made public, to be taken advantage of. It should be the aim of the Regatta Committee to make those facilities known, and by the offer of liberal prizes, to induce boating men from other provinces or colonies to come and compete. We are aware that this is a work of time, and will involve a considerable amount of extra exertion on the part of the Committee, but, still, the end to be attained w. worth striving for. Only let Akaroa be once known as a suitable spot for holding Inter-provincial or Inter-colonial Regattas, and let one be held there, and we venture to affirm that from the influx of visitors which such an event will occasion, its fame as a sanitoriurn for invalids, as well as a pleasant watering-place, will be firmly established. ..