Dear Sir

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 91, 26 June 1946, Page 4

Dear Sir

Letters to the Editor must fo« clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-plume is used the name of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to abridge # amend or withhold any letter or letters.

ROWING CLUB SHED

Sir, —I have read with interest and not a little alarm your leader concerning the local rowing shed. For some time past I have kept my small sailing boat in the rowing shed. It was due to this fact that, in 1943 when the boys were all overseas and no interest was being taken in the shed, I noticed the shocking condition it was in. I managed to get Mr Sullivan and Mr Luke to come down to see what could be done to save it from total collapse. Both men considered that the job was hopeless, but after further consideration decided that it could be put in some sort of order for somewhere in the vicinity of £7O. The money the people of the town willingly subscribed and the rowing shed was put in fair order. The position now is, as you stated, floods and high spring tides have washed away the. foundations until the whole structure is quite unsafe and the boats will have to be taken away to some place of safety: all this for the want of a small concrete groyne to fend the rush of wated away from the foundations. To my knowledge the Harbour Board has been approached time and again to get the foundation work done, but the excuse was that when the war was over extensive breast work, all down the waterfront, was to be done. So far nothing has been done and the rowing club (just a ll small band of young chaps) is faced with another large expenditure to try and save their asset. The members of the club'are a hard working lot of chaps and the people of the township support them, but it isn’t fair to ask them every year or two, to subscribe money that is to serve no permanent purpose, We have a beautiful little harbour, but as far as boating facilities are concerned it is more backward than it was 30 years ago. A safe launch anchorage could be made a payable proposition to the Harbour Board. There are the makings here of a first class rowing club and I do think that all consideration should be given by those who control the harbour finances. Yours etc.,

S. Hr TIPPETT.

SPORTING TROPHIES

Sir, —As a subscriber to the Beacon may I beg space in your columns for a matter which I think needs a little airing before and on behalf of the public. There has been a considerable amount of publicity given to the activities )f the Whakatane Rod and Gun Club, of which I have been a member ever since its inception. I have been very interested in the various competitions and shoots and other activities of the club although I have taken no active part in these but one particular competition has puzzled me considerably: That was the fisherman’s two trophies of first and second, for largest and second largest Rainbow Trout caught by a club member. I have never seen anything concerning these trophies advertised in the Beacon at any. time and although I may have missed such, I don’t think it likely, but it was rumoured that the first prize was to be a substantial one of approximately £5 value. Up to the present time I have not noticed anything in the Beacon as to who the winners were or the weights of the various fish entered for these trophies. I did expect to see this given out in the president’s report at the club dinner but as nothing was said concerning this matter I decided to enquire through your columns. Recently Sir, I have been informed that a Mr Zinsli was the winner of both first and second prizes; a. most unusual coincidence, but I am informed that the first prize awarded him was a fishing licence for next season (valued at £1 ss) and the second was a very nice fishing reel donated by Mr Tyssen . (valued at £2 12s 6d). Now Sir, there appears to be something radically wrong here; that the second .prize should

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