Smoke Concert and Presentation to Mr. J. Calnan.

Free Lance, 30 March 1901, Page 21

Smoke Concert and Presentation to Mr. J. Calnan.

A most enjoyable smoke concert was held in the Wellington Rowing Club's shed on Monday night, the occasion being a "send-off" to Sergeant Calnan Calnan is known to us better as "Joe" of that ilk. Under this name he is known from one end of New Zealand to the other, both as a rowing man and a footballer — the two branches of sport he has been most conspicuous in. In conversation with him, he told me that he has taken naturally to soldiering, his experience during the past seven years in the Naval Artillery having proved a fine preparation ground for him. In that company he nas learnt all there is to know here of gunnery, flag signalling, and lamp signalling, the only branch in which he has not had any experience being that of semaphore signalling. His intention, as far as he knows at present, is not to return to New Zealand yet awhile, at any rate, for he intends, if possible, to get into one of the garrison artillery corps that are to be established in South Africa when the war is finished. Calnan considers hi& training so far has hardly got past the superficial, and a regular course with a garrison corps is bound to be of much service to him. In order to get his discharge from the Seventh Contingent he may have to return to New Zealand, but it will be only for that purpose. He has been appointed a sergeant in the Contingent, his worth having already been recognised by the officers in charge of the camp. At the smoke concert, the presentation to him took the form of a suitably-engraved case of pipes, and a cigar and cigarette-holder. A point that was made much of at the smoke concert — particularly by Mr. A. P. Johnson — was the attempt that was made to shift the headquarters of the Amateur Rowing Association from Wellington to Christchurch, and the further attempt to practically split the Association up into parts. Mr. Johnson stated — and he said it without fear of contradiction— that the executive of the Association had done good work in the past, and no fault could be found with its management of the affairs of the Association. This being so, I fail to see why a gentleman whose management of another branch of sport is not of the best should be so eager to shift the control. Mr. R. F. Smith, who, by the way, made a very capable chairman said tho Wellington and the Star Rowing Clubs intended to make a strong application for the next Championship Regatta to be held in Wellington. Mr. Wyhe, who proposed the toast of "The Association, and who touched on this point, declared that the Wellington harbour was one of the few harbours in New Zealand where a regatta could be held in any weather. If the wind was from the north, the Petone foreshore was a good convincing ground, while if it was from the opposite quarter the Te Aro foreshore had similar advantages.

A jovial evening broke up in good time, with the singing of "God Save the King," the majority of the company accompanying Mr. Calnan back to his quarters in camp.