ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1570, 14 October 1912, Page 6

ROWING.

OPENING OF THE SEASON

AMATEUR STATUS.

DISCUSSED BY ASSOCIATION.

Adverse weather prevailed for the opening of the reiving season on Saturday afternoon. In the morning tho weather was beautifully fine, but an unlucky Change of the wind to the south brought down unwelcome rain. Tho rain, however, had tho effect of settling the water, and, consequently, the rowing events gained in that respect. The Hon. H. D. Bell, president of tho Wellington Rowing Association, formally declared the season opened. Each of the threo local clubs-The Star Boating Club, Wellington Rowing Club, and Wellington Navals Boating Societyprovided afternoon tea in their respective clubhouses for tho large attendance of visitors. At tho Star Club's building the Wellington City' Band was in attendance, while the band of the Fifth Regiment made music in tno Navals' boat-house. The sculling events were' rowed over a course about a quarter of a mile, and the Navals' cutter race over a mile course. Results SENIOR POURS. Star Club-Holmes (stroke), Tomlinson, Carr, and Brewer .. 1 Wellington Club—'Jenkins (stroke), Cairns, Godfrey, and Rafter 2 Petone • Club—Tremain (stroke), Parrant, White, and Burridge 3 The Star crew led from tho start, and won. by a length and. a half. "\\ ellington camo second, and were followed closoly by Petone. The Star crew quite outclassed their opponents. JUNIOR DOUBLE SCULLS. Petono Club—Adamson (stroke) and Bland 1 Wellington Ciub-Symonds (stroke) and Barry ;•••• - i Star Club-Dingle (stroke) and lurker 3 The winners had comfortably the best of the race, and won by a length. .Tho Wellington representatives displayed more energy than the Star crew, who seemed rather, exhausted at the finish. JUNIOR FOURS. Star Club—M'Kay (stroke), Mifcofiell, M'Kay, and Houghton 1 Petone Club—W. Hume (stroke), Haddock, ICirk, and Wilson 2 Wellington Club—E. M'Gill (stroke), G. Johnson, P. Woodnutt, and C. Murray 3 This race was easily the best event of the afternoon. Each crew pulled well, the winner securing eventually first place by about a quarter of a length. There was little difference between the form shown by the crews of the second and third boats. SENIOR DOUBLE SCULLS. Star Club—Craig (stroke) and N. J. M'Kay 1 Wellington Club —H. M'Kinley (stroke) and S. Shilling 2 Petono Club—H. Parrant (stroke) and . C. Burridge 3 The Star crew won comfortably. The Wellington'crew just secured second place from Petone. VETERAN FOURS. Star Club—Hume (stroke), Newton, ■Widdop, and Menzies ...... ; 1 Wellington Club —T. Spencer (stroke), G: Spencer, J. Spencer, and H. : M'lCinnon 2 A good deal of interest centred on this event. The Star crew got home by half a length. 1 CUTTER RACE. The cutter race between Nos. 1 and 2

cutters of the Wellington Navals resulted in a win for No. 1 cutter by two lengths. 1

A knmorou? event on tho programme was tho "Arnst v. Barry" sculling race. Of course 'Barry" won, but when his rival came up to shake hands he capsized his scull. Messrs. T. Jenkins ("Barry") and F. Wooclnutt ("Anist"), both of the Wellington Clul), were tho participants in the event, which created much amusement.

THE ASSOCIATION.

MATTERS OF INTEREST RAISED. The annual meeting of delegates to the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association was held 111 tho officcs of tho Fire Underwriters' Association, Wellington, on Saturday evening. Mr. R. \V. ATVilly presided, and . other delegates present were: Messrs. Coglan and luncs (Auckland), Bridson (Canterbury), ' Galvin (Marlborough), Bayfield (Nelson), Isaacs (Otago), Joostou (Southland), Lauchlan (Wnngnnui), Morris, Mcnzies, and Widdop (Wolliugton). The annual report and balance-sheet were read and adopted.

Officers Elected. > The following officers were elected .for tho year: —President, Hon. H. D. Bell (Wellington); vice-presidents, Messrs. A. S. Biss (Wellington) and F. D. Kestoven (Canterbury); council, Messrs. E. E. Hammond (Southland), E. Innes (Auckland), R. If. Isaacs (Otago), Geo. Lauchlan (Wanganui), R. W. ATVilly (Otago), B. A. Marris, and J. E. Widdop (Wellington); lion, secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. 1). Bayfield (Wellington); hon. auditor, Mr. G. C. Fache (Wellington). Permanent Olympic Fund. A letter was received from the secretary of the Olympic Council for New Zealand, stating that, at their last meeting, the following resolution had been passed: "That, with a view to establishing a permanent New Zealand Olympic fund, this council communicate with the governing liodies of all sports interested, recommending a nominal annual subscription of, say, Gd. per club member, and suggests that such sum could be oollccted as a registration fee or otherwise, as may be deemed desirable."

As members of the association are not eligible to compoto at tho Games, it. was deemed inadvisable to make any levy, but the secretary was instructed to inform the council that the association was willing to ninkc a donation to the fund, as on former occasions. • ■ A Burning Question, An application from J. M. Jackson (Auckland) for reinstatement as an amateur was declined. When moving tho adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, tho chairman touched 011 the question of the amn-

teur status. He considered that any oarsman who was stated by his association to be a bona fido amateur should bo accepted as such by any other Stato. Later on Mr. D. E. Menzies again raised the question by asking what information had been obtained as to how many members of clubs would be affected if the amateur definition were altered so as to exclude professiomls in any other branch of sport. The secretary replied that he had received answers from clubs with a total membership of 1457, and, out of that number, only 55 were professionals in otlier brandies of sport. Mr. R. 11- Isaacs remarked that tho trend of sport all the world over was to make an amateur in ono sport an amateur in all. In Australia an amateur footballer must bo strictly an amateur, and the samo thing was being brought about in America. Mr. A. I). Bayfield thought that a motion from tho delegates might strengthen tho hands of the council, and he moved: "That, in the opinion of this meeting of delegates, tho present rule giving tho definition of an amateur should be amended to allow of New Zealand oarsmen competing in Australia and elsewhere." There would come a time, said the mover, when the Olympic Games would be held in Australia, and New Zealand oarsmen should be eligible to compote there. One of the objects of the association was to foster amateur rowing, and it was not doing that if it confined its members to competitions in Now Zealand. The motion was carried with the following addition: "That the council gD on collecting data with- a view to bringing the matter before a special meeting of delegates in Wellington at the time of the championship regatta." The Wellington Association were granted permission to hold a regatta on Port Nicholson. L i ■L. An jiouorarTO of £h , m X9teA

to the hon. secretary (Mr. A. D. Bayfield). The Annual Report, The annual report of the association stated: — Amateur Sfcatus-At the last annual meeting a motion was carried leaving the question of the ineligibility of New Zealand oarsmen to in Australian inter-State championships in the hands of the council to see if same could not ho removed. The question being en important one, the council called a special meeting of delegates, which was held in Wellington on June 1 to discuss the report mentioned. Tho meeting was not a full one, three associations being unrepresented, but by n majority of H votes to 1 a recommendation to amend our present amateur definition so as to make our oarsmen eligible to compete in Australia and other

parts of the world in amateur rowing events was defeated. The position, therefore, now is that New Zealand oarsmen transferred to Australia must first be reinstated before they oan join any of tho amateur rowing clubs there. There is no difficulty about this, provided, of course, that such men are not professionals in other branches of sport; but the fact that reinstated men are not allowed to compete in inter-State contests of course debars New Zealand oarsmen from securing their representative caps. Further, New Zealand cannot compete in Olympic contests, and must remain unrepresented in any championship contest held outside of New Zealand, so long as our amateur definition remains as it now ie, anil we con-

tinue to advertise on our regatta programmes that raccs are for money prizes. The council consider this position is both undesirable and and think that tho various local associations will be well advised to reconsider this matter. Tho council are pleased to record the fact that permission was granted-, the Auckland Rowing Club to institute ft challenge eight-oared race, such roc® to be held annually for a shield or cup, and to be open to all clubs affiliated to the association, tho first race to be held on the Waitemata Harbour under tho auspices of the Auckland Rowing Association. The council hope that success will follow the enterprise of the Auckland Club, aiid that eight-oared rowing will be enthusiastically taken up by all other clubs, and that contests in this class will eventually be included in all regatta programmes. The association. duly became members of the New Zealand Olympic Council, and assisted that body in * their efforts to ol> tain the representation of New Zealand at tho'late Olympic Games at Stockholm. Whilst regretting that it was not possible to send oarsmen from New tho council congratulates the Australian Eight on their splendid performances both at Henley and at Stockholm. Amateur rowing in this hemisphere has-been brought prominently to tho front in tho rowing world by this crew, and your council hope that the proposed visit of English oarsmen to Australia in tho near future will eventuate, and feel sure that it. must be a matter of regret to New Zealand oarsmen to think that at present at any rate the question of sending a New Zealand crew to Australia at the same time .as the Englishmen would bo there cannot. be : considered.