MANAWATU REGATTA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 49, 18 February 1881, Page 2

MANAWATU REG AT TA.

The event of the year at Foxton has undoubtedly become the regatta, and each year shows signs of improvement. The inauguration of the Foxfcon Rowing Club has given a great impetus to the rowing matches, which are now each year looked forward to with increasing interest, while the number and quality of the sailing boats on the river ha. greatly improved, as could bo seen at a glance on Wednesday. The weather was all that could be desired, with one exception. The wind was rather too light for the sailing race. It had been originally intended to start the sailing race at noon, but as the light easterly wind blowing at 10 o'clock began perceptibly to die away, the committee wisely determined to Btart the sailing race at once. The arrangements for the regatta were carried out in a most creditable manner, nothing being wanting. The various members of the Committee united heartily in the effort to make the affair go off successfully. The brunt of the work fell on Captain Mowlem, who acted as Judge, Messrs John Young and Liddell, who acted as starters, and Mr Shore, the hon. secrotary, all of whom worked indefatigably. The result was that the opinion was freely expressed that the regatta was in every way the most successful ever held at Foxton. Various features conspired to bring this about. First, the attendance was much larger thau on previous occasions, being at the very least one thousand. The Foxton people turned out en masse and large numbers rode in from all parts of the district, Sandon, Campbell--owt-> Oroua. Moutoa, Otaki, Ohau, and Horowhenua all contributing their quota, while the ten o'clock train brought in four double carriages literally packed with visitors from Wanganui, Palmerston, Feilding, &c. In addition to these, were a large number of excursionists from Wellington, both the Jane Douglas and Stormbird being crowded. So far as tke attendance was concerned, it was therefore everything that could be desired, and showed that an increasing interest is felt throughout tho district in our annual regatta. Another very pleasiug feature of the affair was the presence of the Wellington City Rifle Band, numbering between 20 and 30 performers, and led by Mr George G ray. The band arrived per Jane Douglas on Tuesday morning, and as the steamer ran up to the wharf gathered on the bridge and discoursed some very fine musi. which speedily attracted a large crowd to the wharf. * Upon arrival they were in undress uniform, but on regatta morning they appeared on the wharf in full dress, their scarlet tunics and handsome helmets giving them a fine appearance. Of the quality of their music we will simply say that it was beyond all praise, Mr Gray showing that he had his men under the most perfect command, and the result was that those who attended the regatta enjoyed a musical treat infinitely superior to anything of the kind ever previously heard in the district. Dining the afternoon the band played on the steamer Stormbird, which was packed from stem to stein with excursionists, and ran down the river to Hartley's bend, where she waited until the outrigger race started, and followed the boats up to the wharf. Several members of another Wellington band (fche| Guards') al_o cune tD Foxtou per Stormbird, and performed ou the river bank near Howe's Hotel, though there were not sufficient of them to havo the same effect as the Cifcy Rifles'. Abundant provisions had been made for the refreshment of the public. Host Whyte had a capital luncheon laid out between the hours of 11 anc 4, and tho great majority of the up-country settlers wended their way thither. Mr Futter provided a hot dinner at the Manawatu Hotel, and was largely patronised, whilst Mr Howo had laid a quantity of very tempting refre.hmsnts in the old billiard room fronting the river bank, and did a large trade. B jsides fchese largo numbers of families pic- nicked along tho batiks of fche river, and several refreshment booths were erected in various positions. A " c'rect card "of the races, showing the names and colours of the boats, and fie hours afc which races would start, was issued from the Maxawatu Herald office and greatly assisted iv the enjoyment of the day. Subjoiued is a list of the events.

1. So.il.ng Race. — Open to all boats without centre boards. Course — From the wharf round a buoy off the Club shed, down the river and round a buoy opposite the Rev. MrDnncan'saudback to the wharf. Twice round. First prize, £10 ; second, £o ; third, £2. The following boats were entered :— Stewart's Swift, Ansell's Fawn, Lirkworthy's Pet, Gannaway's Rover. Burr's Zulu, Liddell'H Thistle, .Tonsin's Msrmaid, Maugan's My Heart's Delimit, if d.nkins' Queen of the South. The R.ver did not come to the starting post, nob having arrived from Wellington. The wind boing light easterly, the whole of the boats carried a very heavy press of canvas. A good start was effected, and the race looked very pretty. At the first buoy several of the boats got together, and consequently lost the wind, bat the Thistle coming up just behind got siifii.ienfc of the breeze to clear the buoy, and thus got the lead, which she kept throughout, beating the Swift by about five minutes. There was a capital race for second place, the Zulu followiug very closely on the heels of the Swift, and for several minutes the boats kept exactly the same distance apart. After rounding the lower buoy for the last time, the two boats began tacking and kept very close together, but the Zulu did not hold up to the wind so well as the Swift, and had to make an extra tack, enabling the big boat to run past the winniug post five minutes ahead of the Zulu. The Queen of the South made a pretty fair fourth, but didnot show herself a formidable adversary. The othor boats were nowhere.

Maiden Race, in 4-oared inrigged boats. Distance, li miles. Prize, £7. The course was from a point a short distance below Mr Robinson's residence to the winning post opposite the Moutoa road. The race was rather a slow affair, the only two boats entered being the Manawatu aud Q aeeu Mab, both belonging to the Foxtou Club. The Manawatu was rowed by Messrs. Robinaon (stroke), Birchley. Williams, and Jas. Symons, with Arthur Burr coxswain. The Queen Mab orew were Messrs Shore (stroke), Ha-ris, Lovejoy, and C. Symons, with Joe Callius coxswain. Both crew pulled fairly well, but the race was manifestly in the hands of the Manawatu, which won with comparative ease.

Senior Fours, in 4-oared inrigged boats. Distance, 2_ miles. First prize, £15 ; second, _3. For this race there were three entries, viz., the Foxton Club's Manawatu, the Wanganui Club's Rata, and the Union (Wanganui) Club's Transit. The course was from a point about half -a-mile the Foxton side of Hartley's to the winning post. The crews dropped down for tho race shortly before 2 o'clock. A comparison of the men showed that the Foxton men were possessed of more powerful physique than their Wanganui brethren.. The style of the latter, especially of the Rata crew, was very much prettier than that of the Foxtou men, but a single glance showed that unless some accident happened the Foxton boys were certain ef the race. The new baafc sat in the water like. a duck, and a noticeable feature of her was that hardly any of her covered compartment at either

bow or stern was visible when the crew were in. The Foxfcon crew consisted of Messrs Howe, (stroke), .). Symons, 0. Collins, W. Collins, and Joe Collins, coxswain. The Tlata crdw* consisted of Messrs Powell (stroke), Wheeler, Gower, Miller, and Syer, coxswain. The Transit crew were Messrs Bites (stroke), Eoscoe (2), Cuiihell, and Ferry junr., coxswain. The positions of the boats were ds follows — Transit inside, Manawatu centre, and Rata outside. It was agreed that the starter would call out " Are you ready ? " twice, and then fire the pistol for the start. The cry was made twice, but the pistol refused to crack. Mr Young thereupon called out to the boats to start, and waved his handkerchief, but the only crew who heard hint Were those in the Transit, the other boats being a long distance off. The Transit crew caught the water at once, and it was not until the Rata and Manawatu saw the other boat at work that they set their oars going. The Transit had a start of at least three or four strokes. The boats raced very hard for the first halfmile, and kept almost level one with the other. At the end of that distance, the Foxfcon boat began steadily to draw ahead, and when our reporter lo3fc the view, was between two and three lengths in front, the Rata keeping about the same distance ahead of the Transit. Cantering across the country to the point opposite Mr Duncan's residence, we waited a few minutes till the Foxfcon men turned the point, leading by about 7 lengths, which distance Was kept tip until the post was reached, the Transit being the same distance behind the Rata. The Foxton crew duriug this race pulled 36 strokes to the minute. At the close of the race the Rata crew lodged a protest against the Manawatu on the ground that she is not an intigged boat. The protest was disallowed by the Committee. For tha Canoe Race there were two entries, both canoes being manned by Maoris. The race caused great amusement.

Junior Four 3, in four-oared inrigged boats. Distance about IJ miles. Prizo, £7. There were ' _ly two boats entered for this raoe, the Manawatu, manned by Burr (stroke), Robinson, Williams and Gray, and the Rata. Our reporter omitted to obtain the names of the crew of the Rata. The Wanganui men were confident of pulling off this race, as their junior crew is said to be able to put the seniors on their mettle, and some Foxton betting men so far despaired of tho local chances as to give 4to 1 against Foxton. A good start was effected, and for a short time the two kept together, but steadily the Foxton boat drew away from tho Rata, and won easily by aboufc five leugths. For the Boys' Race there were two entries, Coombe and Pilmer, who pulled the Minnie, beating Blake and Feck, who rowed in a fishing boat. Senior Fours, in 4-oared outrigged boats. First prize, €20 : second, £5. This was tlie crack race of the day, aud there were different opinions as to what the result would be, for though tlie Foxton men were admitted to be stronger rowers, ifc was noticed that both the Wanganui boats had a cox swain, whereas the Dolly Varden was steered by No. 1. The only difference in the crews for this race, a? compared with the senior inrigged, was thafc B-thune took the place of Gower in the W. R. C. 's Tiger Lily, the Union Club rowing the Wanganui. The Foxton men had the additional disadvantage in this race of having a leaky boat, as the Dolly had several inches of water in her when they got down to the starting place. They accordingly rowed to the shord, and emptied her before the race started, bat she had nearly six inches of water in her when the race terminated. The Wanganui (Union) had inside place again, tho Tiger Lily middle, and the Foxtou boat outside. A splendid start was effected, but shortly after getting to work Bites, the stroke of the Wiuganui, caught a nasty crab, which delayed the progress of his boat, and for a moment altogether threatened to throw it out of tha rac. alto^ether. He settled down to work, .<*ain bravely, however, when his oar was righted, and though he had lost, two or three leugths, the distance did not increase. The other two boats were racing at a killing pace, tha Dolly and Tiger keeping close together. At the end of about three quarters of a mile C.dlins, who had kept well to .he west biuk of fche river, bagan to shearover towards the Foxfcon side, and the Tiger Lily taking the " cue" steered in tho same direction. Just afc thi. poiut the race was most exciting, as Howe called on his men for a spurt, and right loyally they responded. Slowly and st°a lily she drew away from the Tiger Lily, whilst Colliui, who steered the boat beautifully considering he was rowing all thi ;iwic, got right over into the slick water ou the easfc side, but the Union* were determined to have a tussle for it, for B.ifces put his men hard to it, and the Wangmui ran up almost level with the F.ixfcou boat with a pretty spurt. But the steady, slogging power of the Foxton boys was too much for the others, and they rowed awiy from them, pullm* 40 strokes to the minute, the Tijjer Lily 37. .nd the Wan^auui 33. When our view Wits lost, Foxton was leading by abou'. two and a-half lengths. Upon rejoining the cre-vs a_»ain opposite the township, we found Foxtm had increase I its lead to about, live lengths, which ifc maintained to tho end of the race. Tne prettiest p-irt of the race was undoubtedly fche struggle betweeu fche two Wangmui boats for seco id place. For tho last half mile they kept closs together, and for a great part of that distance were rowing in a line one with the other. When opposite the wharf. Powell called on his men for a final spurt, which was responded to by both crews, but the Tiijer Lily gained au advantage of about, half a length, seeing which the Unions funcked on ifc. notwithstanding thore were only about 400 yards to go, and pulled in shore, second honors in each race, thus falling to the Wanganui Club. It may be remarsed here, that the best pirfc of the race in each caso was during tho first mile, aud it is to be regretted thafc th • cours--could nofc be so arranged as to give the public an opportunity of seeing the whole of the race. We have endeavoured to supply the deficiency by giving an extended report of the different rowin; matches.

Walking the Greasy Pole followed. This item was not a very great success, owing to the event taking place at almost low tide. The pole was too far above the water, and thus a number of men who would have competed, would not enter. However, at the last moment two men stripped. After two attempts the prize was won by a sailor of the Bee, who just managed to grasp the flag as he fell for the third time. The other competitor, Harris, had only one try.

There were four starters for the swimming match. The competitors had to touch a flag opposite and return to the wharf, and aB the strong tide running down the river carried the swimmers some distance below the flag, there was a pedestrian contest on a small soale on the bank, Hamilton, who from his performance was a strong favorite, touched ground on the opposite side of the river first, and was soon followed by Harris, the other two men being nowhere. After running some distance up the river bank, Hamilton made a start for the wharf again, having some few yards'

Btart. When Hamilton had about made half the distance, he appeared to lose strength, and although he struggled gamely on, Harrio rapidly camo up, and just managed to touch the wharf a stroke in advance of his rival. . The Duck Hunt waa a very tame affair. Burr, who acted as "duck," started in a amall boat, and was followe t by the Rose, manned by four men. After the " duck " had dodged the boat a little, he took to the water, bufc the odds were too heavy against him, for he waa soon collared by one of tho men from the Rose.