THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8896, 16 August 1907, Page 2

THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Candid Criticism

Australia eugaged in three international contests on Saturday, and with h lde °£ 9 luck lost every one o£ thorn. On tne Parramatta River, Webb, the Maori* lander, took the sculling championship or the world and £SOO of Australian money j at Brisbane the All Blacks beat the Australian Rugbyitos by 14 points to nva; and at Adelaide tho Canadians downed the Australian lacrossers by six goals to three. It was a dreary day. Of course, the crowning disaster was Webb’s victory. That took from Australia the proud possession of the sculling championship of tho world. Australia 3 so-callod champion had boon elevated to tho position, not on his merits, but because his elder brother stepped down from it —it is said to oblige a lady of tho family, who wished to have two worldchampions in her flock. The bogus champion was hopelessly outclassed and decisively beaten. Success is tho only thin" that can justify such a transaction ■as the passing on of tho championship i from George to Charles Towns, and when Charles was put to the proof there was no success in him. A championship of any kind is something of a national possession, and should bo held by the man best able to defend it. In this case it wasn’t. It was defended by a man who wot it because an obliging relative forfeited it to him, and the relative might have forfeited in the same fashion, it he had liked, to a middle aged uncle with one lung. Australia has a right to think that it has been treated in a scurvy fashion by George Towns, and that tho J country’s aquatic fame was discreditably I sacrificed to petty family vanity. After tho way tho daily papers had decried Webb’s style, people wore astonished to see his clean, easy movements, and from tho boats scores exclaimed that tho man in blue was Towns • “ Only Towns could pull like that!” And they all cheered accordingly.. It was a sad revelation. Webb was as cool as a cucumber. When people started to congratulate him, ho cheerfully proposed that they should wait till the protest wa3 decided. Umpire Rush did not decide tho point right away, hut carefully referred to tho rules, and gave a judgment that was crammed full of horse-sense. After the race tho usual omens wore in tho air. One discovered that what lost Towns tho race was a miniature Union ■Tack hoisted upsido down on his shed. This is tho signal of distress in tho langna,To of the sea. Gnorgo Towns announced that ho would not challenge the winner. Tho next race for the souUmg championship will take place on the Wanganui River, and will bo tho first in that State. , ~ Webb’s chief backer, Tuck, landed tho squealing Towns crowd a nasty one at the handing over of tho stakes. Ono or Towns’ backers declared ho wasn’t satisfled with the umpire’s decision. Ho offered Webb .£IOO exes, and guaranteed him a gate of £350 to race Towns again, 'luck sprang up before Webb could got himself together, aud told the man who made the offer that ho considered it an insult to tho umpire—which it was, Webb had won the championship, and it Towns thought ho had not been beaten on his merits ho could come to Wangamu and win it in the ordinary way. Whereat there was a great silence in tho lown3

corner. ■ ~T ~ “ Taking for granted that ebb waa the bettor man on the day, and also that a foul did occur, accidentally, intentionally, or otherwise, was the umpire s decision correct ?” Well, whatever experts other offices may contain, there is nobody in this ouo who knows more about scuffin" than Michael Rush. The umpire did not decide hastily, but having noted the occurrence very carefully consulted the newly-framed rules, and decided that Webb in no way deprived Towns of his clianco of winning the raoe. downs statement that he aid not try after the foul reads very badly. If be wasn t trying off Bedlam Point and thence to the finish, writer never saw a man try.— Sydney Bulletin.