AMATEUR ROWERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 262, 2 December 1876, Page 4

AMATEUR ROWERS.

( Wellington Argus) "What is an Amateur P" is a question that is exercising the minds of the Nelson Regatta Committee just now. Finding the question difficult of solution, the assistance of the Wellington Star Club haß been sought, and a meeting is to be held to consider it. One would think it sufficient to exclude from the ranks of amateurs licensed watermen and men who have rowed for wagers, but this does not satisfy the bank clerks and those who are shut up all day in the confined air of offices. They. complain tbat the hammerman, tbe laborer, and the artizan have special advantages which they have not — that is, that they follow occupations which , develop the muscle or afford open air experience, two of the first requisites in a rowing man — and maintain that they should not rank as amateurs. There is a great deal to be said on both sides. There is a prevalent impression amongst the muscular fraternity — we so denominate them for purposes of distinction — tbat the bank clerk, et hoc, work short hours and have far greater opportunities for developing the muscle after the labors of the day than any other section of boating men. The two things balance well, one against the other. To exclude the muscular men simply because of their muscularity would be to at once reduce the rowing standard. By no reasoning can they be classed aB professionals. They make no pretention to tbis distinction, and the only objection to selecting men outside the clubs to row on great occasions ia that in some cases tbey require payment for tbeir services, or stipulate that, in the event of winning, a portion of the prize money Bhall become tbeir private property. Hera unquestionably, the professional element creeps in, and unless on the occasion of iuterprovincial regattas, when each province naturally desires to win for the credit of the province, this practice should be discouraged as much as possible. The evil ia tbat it prevents juniors coming to the front. They cannot compete with such men, and if, as has been suggested by one active member of the Star Club, nothing but cups were given as prizes for amateur races, the probability is that those who row for money, and not for trophies or honor, would be heard of no more. Tbe only way out of the difficulty would be to have races for the two classes of amateurs, but than the difficulty of deciding " which is which" would create Another difficulty.