NELSON REGATTA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 310, 30 December 1872, Page 2

NELSON REGATTA.

To the Editor op the Nelson Evening Mail

Fir. —l cannot allow to pass over without censure the proceedings of the Regatta Committee on Thursday. As this is a public "matter, and as the public support the Regatta by subscriptions, I hope you will give publicity to this letter. There was plainly no management, in the affair whatever, and rules and regulations were made to suit particular points and purposes. Two cases of this sort came conspicuously under my notice, the first of which was the Clio .in the Amateur Whaleboat Race, which came, up to the scratch and was told that she would have to go back and wait till 4 o'clock, because the other crew was not ready. Now, this was a nice state of things, the Clio ought to bave gone round the course and claimed tbe prize, but -supposing they had done so, they were told it would not have been paid. In the other case, which was very much more bare-faced, the second-class sailing boats were advertised to start at 2 p.m, but for some unexplained rea&on they started them a quarter of an hour before. By this extraordinary and unwarranted proceeding, one boat —the Sea Bird —was entirely shut out from the race. On coming up to the starting point two or three minutes before the advertised time, she found that the other boats had gone a quarter of an hour before. She started after them, and arrived at the winning post 5 minutes after the first boat, properly winning the race by 10 minutes. However, I am exceedingly glad to see by your paper of last evening that a protest had been entered, and very rightly too, she being the boat, according to my little knowledge ot racing, that the prize should have been awarded to, and I trust that the owners will not4et the matter drop until it has been thoroughly sifted. I am, &c, A Lover of Boating. Nelson, December'.2B,lß72.