HAMILTON GETS THE REGATTA.

Shannon News, 31 October 1924, Page 3

HAMILTON GETS THE REGATTA.

OTHER ASSOCIATIONS TOO STRONG FOR WELLINGTON.

The annual, meeting ol the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association was held in Wellington % iast night, Major H. A. Lomax (Wanganui) preI siding. There were also present i Messrs D. R. Menzies and lunes (Auckland), A. M. Hale 1 (Marlorough) D. McGrath and J. Bright (Wellington), H. Patton (Duncdin), G. Lauehlan and A. Gray (Wanganui). CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA When, the matter of the . allocation of the championship regatta came up, the secretary reported that Canterbury had withdrawn its application, leaving only Marlborough, Wellington, and Auckland in ' the field.

Speaking in support of Wellington's application, Mr J. Bright said that if. Wellington wer© awarded" the championship, it was proposed to hold the event on the Horowhenua Lake, as the uncertainty of the weather on the Wellington harbour made it too uncertain to hold it here. The lake had been inspected, and had been found quite suitable. A further argument for it was that it would foster rowing in Levin, which had oiice been strong for the sport. Mr Gray said that he understood that if Auckland were awarded the regatta, there was a possiility of its being held on the Waikato River at Hamilton, and if this were so; he Would not support their application, as only the inside crews had a chance. Therefore, he would support Horowhenua, provided that the Wellington Rowing Association considered the la.ke fit. He thought that ■Marlborough wa)s rather! in applying for the regatta again. Mr Innes supported Auckland's application, saying that the Hamilton course was as good, as any other river course in New Zealand. It should further be remembered that it was tw.eive years since Auckland had been awarded the championship. LAKE HOROWHENUA CRITICISED.

Mr A. D. Bayfield said that in his opinion Horowhenua Lake was totally unsuitable for a rowing course. There was -a sharp end'in the course, and there were no facilities for the boats at all. He had rowed there himself years ago, and his experience had not been favourable to the present scheme. ; They had got" lost among the raupo at the end of" the Jake, their oars had stuck on a hidden mud bank, an.d, although it was a fine day overhead, the wind was whipping the water over the side of the boats. The .water, moreover, was quite dead, and altogether the lake was quite unsuitable lor a championship regatta. Mr Hale (Marlborough) declared that the council could not afford to experiment with, the championship regatta. Last time they had gone down to Invercargill, and the affair had been fiasco. If Wellington were applying for the' regatta, to be held ou the Wellington harbour, he would be in favour of it, but failing that let. them go to PictQnj, where they were sure of good conditions. The voting was conducted on the second ballot system. , At the first vote, eight votes, were' cast for Auckland, five for Pictbn, and two for Horowhenua; At the next ballot, Auckland and Picton got-eight votes each, whereupon the chairman gave his casting vote for Auckland; to which association the championship regatta is accordingly allocated.