A REGATTA ON SUNDAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 481, 14 April 1909, Page 9

A REGATTA ON SUNDAY.

CRITICISM AND EXPLANATION. 'BY TEI.EC.UAI'II.— SIT.CIAI. COHIIKSI-ONBEN'T.) Dunedin, April 13. Tho holding of tho Qucenstown regatta on Sunday is causing somo comment. The "Otago Daily Times" says:—" Tho action of thoso upon whom rests the responsibility for tho holding of tho regatta at Qucenstown on Easter Day .merits severe condemnation. We hopo that tho New Zealand Rowing Association will take cognisance of the circumstances, and that it will so arrange that there shall be no recurrence of the scandal."

Tho "Star" says:—" ltaforc judging too hastily tlioso concerned in carrying out part of the regatta .programme, at Qucenstown early on Sunday morning, it is as well to review all tlio facts. Snturday'swcnther mado it absolutely out of the question to row on any part of the lake Had that been attempted there would liavo been a mcmorablo disaster for a certainty. A majority of tho officials, consisting of both Qucenstown and Duncdin gentlemen, would have preferred abandoning tho fixture altogether. However, they allowed consideration for tho competitors, who for weeks had been undergoing tho self-denying ordinance entailed by training, and who had been looking forward to Qucenstown regatta as tho last opportunity tho season provided for putting that training to tho test, to outweigh thoir private scruples. Oarsmen themselves, right or wrongly, are by no means unaccustomed to Sunday morning work in tho boat. . In fact, tho precedent of Sunday boat racing had already been established at a fairly recent fixture further south under exactly similar circumstances. There are somo who, even after, hearing these facts, will still say that it was a flagrant and deliberate desecration of Easter Sunday. We are unable to agree wilh them, but still less are wo ablo : to agree with lhoso, N if there bo I any such, who would countenance a repetition or any such occurrence."