OARSMEN WELCOMED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 927, 21 March 1930, Page 16

OARSMEN WELCOMED

PROVINCIAL EIGHTS MET BY MAYOR TOMORROWS BIG RACE "You will not find Auckland behind in supporting good clean sport,’ said the Mayor, Mr. George Baildon, in extending a welcome to the interprovincial rowing eights this morning. He referred particularly to the assistance the Harbour Board was giving to the aquatic sports, and the efforts of the City Council to provide grounds for the numerous sports bodies in the city. The Mayor officially met the interprovincial rowing- eights at a reception held at the Koval Hotel this morning. Mr. W. Mason, president of the Auckland Rowing Association presided. Mr. Baildon said that the present occasion was a unique one for Auckland, as it was the tirst time in the history of the city that interprovincial rowing eights had been rowed on an Auckland course. The event had been made possible, he said, through the generosity of Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone, who had donated a handsome trophy for competition among interprovincial eights. In the donation of trophies for sailing events, and the gift of a fine park for the city, Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone has done a great deal for sport in Auckland, said the Mayor. He understood that the race tomorrow would b© the third interprovincial race that had been held. Canterbury had won the first and Otago the second, and he thought that it would be only right if Auckland won the third. He also understood that the New Zealand eight would be selected after tomorrow’s race. For that reason it was a pity that Canterbury was not represented and he hoped that the chance of selection that any Canterbury men might have would not suffer through their inability to be seen in action tomorrow. Tie felt sure that the visitors would be hospitably entertained during their stay in Auckland and hoped that the big race tomorrow would be contested in the best of spirit and that the best eight would win. An announcement that he was presenting two trophies, one to the New Zealand Rowing Association and one to the Auckland Association, was made by Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone. He said he felt sure the visiting eights would be well treated during their stay in Auckland and that they would thoroughly enjoy their visit. AN OPEN RACE

“Tomorrow’s race is as open as any in New Zealand and I defy anybody now to pick the winner,” said Mr. A. M. Hale, of Marlborough, one of the New' Zealand selectors. Mr. Hale referred to the difficulty in financing rowing and made an appeal for the support of all citizens as well as of oarsmen themselves. He pointed out that the New Zealand Rowing Association had to find £750 to pay for part of the expenses of the New Zealand eight to Canada. This took a lot of collecting in small amounts, said Mr. Hale. Addressing the Mayor, he said it was not much use a city having big racecourses and big concrete buildings if it omitted to build up clean healthy sport and clean healthy young men. Mr. H. Wison (Otago) also thanked the Mayor for the welcome extended. Otago had come to Auckland, he said, with the keen determination to make a strong bid to retain the trophy, but tho members of the eight would be the first to congratulate the eight that beat them.

Mr. A. H. White, of Wellington, also returned thanks, stating that all the Wellington men wanted was a good race.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Mayor on the motion of Mr. John Clark, patron of the Auckland Rowing Association, who referred to the keen support always given to sport by Mr. Baildon.

After the reception ths crews were taken up the harbour to view the course.