NELSON ROWING CLUB.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 62, 13 March 1877, Page 2

NELSON ROWING CLUB.

To the Editor of the 'Evening Mail.' Sir— Some time ago a Rowing Club was started in Nelson; the public were invited to assist in setting it on its legs, and fchey did so liberally, so much so tbat the Club has now four or five boats than which none finer are to be found in New Zealand. Having done this much, the public naturally expected that the Rowing Club— is it so called on the Incus a nvn lucendo principle, because the members never row ? —would do something towards upholding the credit of Nelson, and securing for this town some of the liberal prizes offered at the late regatta. But what did the Rowing (?) Club do? Simply nothing. When the Dolly Vardencrew came over here and set au example which our oarsmen would do well to follow, the Rowing Club of Nelsou thought that really it was time they put iv an appearance on tbe water, and they actually went in for practice witb such perseverance and determination that three days before the big race was to be run they were in a position to decide which of their members were the i_ fittest to take part in it. A little more prae- • ticej and "stroke" would perhaps have been so far acquainted with his boat that he would have- been able so to arrange his seat as to prevent his indulging in a critical moment in the rather untimely amusement of crabcatching. But the Nelson public who had given their money to buy the boats—proverbially good-humored ancl easy-going as thjey arc— took a charitable view of the case, arid consoled themselves with the reflection that the Rowing Club were new to their work, but that after the tremendous dubbing they ,had received in every race for which they .'had entered, they would bestir themselves and endeavor by constant and steady practice to turn the tables upon their victors next year. Another grave error, O most credulous Nelson public ! The boats ' are lying snugly in the shed, and the members of the Nelson Rowing Club are carefully husbanding their strength until a week or ten days before the next regatta, when they will perhaps go out rowing twice a day during the whole of tbat period, and then I get gloriously licked again by their opponents, no matter who they may be. Another month, and if anyone volunteers to suggest the propriety of rowing practice, the reply will be " Ob, the days are too short, we must wait till summer sets in," and when summer sets in some other reason will be urged why they should not meet and take regular pulls iv the harbor, for backward though our Rowing Club may be in the matter of pulling, I will back them to find excuses for not practising against auy other Club iv the colony. — I am, &c, Crab-Catcher,