BOATING GOSSIP.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 119, 17 October 1874, Page 3

BOATING GOSSIP.

The boating season opened last ! Saturday in very good style. It must certainly be confessed that there were several boats not launched in the procession for want of men to row them, but I have every reason to believe that many members did not put in an appearance thinking that there would be more 'men than thwarts;' And'btherb kept away because procrastinating tailors had not finished their boating costume. Having thus excused the defaulters who were conspicuous by their absence, I must go on to say that the various metropolitan clubs have greatly^increaped in point of jThe numbefs«now j 'a' Very considerable increase on last year, and amongst so many.it is only natural to suppose 'there will 1 be some ; active members. For the last two or three seasons, and notably the last, there has been little or no enthusiasm in boating. It has been so slow, that even.with an Interprovincial Race thrown in, the less said about Canterbury rowing the bettp;. , The cricketiifag' men,set us a right good example, not only in the interest they take. in. the sport, but in regularity of practice. The number of cricket matches played during the season has I should say, a great deal to do with both the interest in the sport, and the regular attendance, and here 1 think the captains of boating clubs might take a leaf from the book of the cricketers, and, following the example Bet with very great success by Mr Herclson last season, encourage matches of all kinds as much as possible. It may not be a matter of impossibility to get four men to practise together on the chance of a forthcoming regatta, but it becomes a far easier business to keep the four together when there is a match on the cards in a week or fortnight’s time. The bumping races, so often advocated in these columns, would go a long way to keep crews together, and would please a public always liberal in supporting aquatics. A commencement in this direction was made last year, not, it must be allowed, a very successful one, but the race was very hurriedly got up, and if the U. C. B. C. at their first meeting, which I presume wi 1 come off shortly, were to give the bumping races their careful consideration, I think they would this season, with so many new men, be very successful. Apropos of racing on the Avon, the race between the Tamesis and Ilyssus last Saturday, was perhaps, for the distance, the best race I ever saw. The rowing, though not quite first-class in either boat, was for the beginning of the season, when men are not accustomed to each other, very good indeed, and the steering excellent; but it only proved to me how unsuitable the Avon is for anything but time or bumping races. The Stanmore bridge, so close to the winning post, makes even starting ve y uneven, also finishing in a race where crews are anything like closely matched, and although the last boat through the bridge won on this occasion, it was one of the exceptions which prove the rule. In my last paper, written some months ago, I gave it as my humble opinion that the absence of coxswains in four-oar races had proved a mistake so far as we had got, I think this was very fairly shown at the last interprovincial ; but whether or no it would be

as well that captains of clubs should come to some conclusion in the matter early in the season, for if a man is to steer and row too he requires considerable rehearsing before he is perfect in the part. I am the more anxious to call their attention to this from the fact that I hear the Heathcote Regatta will probably come off early in the season, and that there is some chance of an Intcrproviucial to follow, though I think the latter a very doubtful event. In looking over the plant of the Christchurch Rowing Clubs for the last season, one was reminded of the King of Assyria’s offer to a certain King of Israel, viz., to deliver two thousand horses if the latter King could find riders for them. There were plenty of boats, but no rowers to send them along. The clubs have boats enough of a certain class, even I venture to say for this year, in spite of all the new blood; but in sending to England for a new sculling boat the Canterbury Club have done well. The fact is, at present we are overburthened with scullers ; but, assuming that another Interprovincial meeting will come off some time or other, we have no boats fit for practice, not to speak of racing in. In the present prosperous state of the boating clubs, au increase in our sculling boats would be, 1 should think, desirable. When the Heathcote committee publish their programme, it is reasonable to suppose that a pair-oar race will form an item in the bill of fare. I may here mention that a cup for a pair-oar race, offered long ago by Mr W. C. Maxwell, still lies, so to speak, to the credit of the boating community, and'l make a present of this reminder to the Heathcote committee with much satisfaction. While on the subject of pair-oars, your readers will be sorry to hear that the boat by Biffin, imported by the Lyttelton Club, and recently purchased by Mr Watson from Mr Savage, was smashed at Sumner the other day. She was a really beautiful boat, and is a loss, not only to Mr Watson, but to Canterbury.

The Union Club have decided not to increase their shed accommodation for the present. It is, I understand, the intention of tho committee to enlarge the boat-houses at tho break of the season. Not before it was required I think, but those who have the management of the matter think that building at present would interfere with the rowing. It is, however, decided to follow the example of the Canterbury Club, and at once supply a sweet boon to the members in the shape of a shower bath. When is the Canterbury Club going to make a move in the matter of the Carlton shed ? There are, lamin a position to state, many members living in that neighborhood who, however willing to go in for practice, find it impossible to go down to Avonside in the morning to row and get back in time for business. Similarly in the afternoon, they have not time after four to go down to the present boat sheds and get back in time for dinner. As a resident in the neighborhood of the Carlton I speak very feelingly in the matter ; but putting personal interest out of the matter, I think a shed on the Upper Avon would be a great success. With reference to the doings of outside clubs, Kaiapoi will, I feel sure, find a crew for whatever is going. Heathcote is next door to a metropolitan club, but at present with the old crew should be very formidable in the coming season, Lyttelton has given up rowing and gone in for a yacht club, which seems likely to be a success, but it seems a matter of regret that a place which owns so many tried and stalwart oarsmen should have gone out of the business altogether. Timaru, I hear, is starting a boat club, and ifiour southern friends only go into it with half the energy they display in other sports, itiis a safe prediction that the club will be a very good one. I have not up to the present alluded to the Avon Club. It is a club which appears to hold but few meetings, but starts into life when a regatta is on the cards, and usually starts to some purpose too. I hope to see the red caps at work again this'season. A race, instituted I believe by Mr M. Campbell, was got up last season for different professions, and promised to be very successful. I hope Mr Campbell won’t mind taking a little trouble again this year to get thq race off. ■ The squatters’ crew would be 8j rare team,'and the very fact of up-country men, who have 5 so little opportunity for practice, going in for such an event, would put the town professions on their metal. I hear that-the professors of the black art are going in for rowing this year, and from all I hear, a “ Paper team ” could be selected that would be very hard to beat. The river is in very fair order at present, but the American weed gets worse every year. Mr Hopkins’ steamer knocks it about a bit, but I am afraid before long a dredge svill be required tp keep it within bounds.' SAMPAN.