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Evening Star, Issue 3993, 11 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE REGATTA. To the Editor. Silt, —Your correspondent “Platypus” unfortunately rushed into print just a day too soon, otherwise he would have seen in either of your morning contemporai ies of yesterday what has been decided by the Regatta Committee in reference to the terra “amateur" for the forthcoming regatta, “Anyone not earning his living by manual labor ” is a word for word quotation from a letter from the honorary secretary of the Sydney Rowing Club, re their rules ; and I think he should be a good authority on the subject. I don’t think it is possible—at least, lam unable—in black and white to give a sample of a heavy four-oar boat, other than what I gave in my last letter, and would, in addition, refer “Platypus" to published programme. If “ Platypus ’’ had only exorcised his wits, he would have seen that the scullers’ race is open to any boats and all comers, lam glad to have afforded “ Justice” some little amusement in these dull times, although (excuse me) it somewhat brings to mind an old saying, slightly altered, about “ little things amusing, &c.,”but I hope ho was not struck very hard by the utter absurdity, as it must have slightly marred the amusement. In assunrng such a nom de phnne I think “Jus tice" should have been a little more just in bis remarks. I presume that by “rules” “Justice” refers to the one rule only—giving the ! detiuition of’an amateur. Did I really say that | “the rules" could not be got in Dunedin? 1 think not! It would have been a rash statement, I said (I think) I had not succeeded in getting a copy in time to give the rule verbatim for the information of “ Eairplay, ” who I had unavoidably krpt waiting rather long for a reply as it was. In objecting to “Justice” coining suppositions for me, and placing them before the public as mine, I would point out to him that, in “supposing” that the committee were going to settle disputes under “the rule” (the amateur one I take him to mean) without a copy of it, he is entirely in the wrong, as steps had been taken to provide them in ample time before the the regatta will take place, and I hope the loss to his imagination (evidently a lively one) will not be very heavy. In his concluding paragraph I think he became slightly confused. I admit I was on reading it, as, what with mixing up the Sydney rules with the Otago Rowing Club, and something about “gentlemen amateurs” saving a mark, I could not lay hold of anything tangible to reply to. I have no doubt that where any information is required or there are any suggestions to bo made, the honorary secretary to the Regatta Committee will be most willing to reply to them, either through your columns or those of your contemporaries ; but I myself have not the time to spare to enter into any further correspondence on the subject, and should not have done so, in the first instance, except to answer “Fair Play’s” very legitimate inquiries. -I am, &c , A Committee Man, Dunedin, December 11,