PROPOSED ROWING CLUB.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 14 February 1907, Page 2

PROPOSED ROWING CLUB.

About forty cn'lhusiasts, mostly ex member* of rowing clubs in diJl'erent parts ol the colony, attended t-ho meeting iieja ill .Mr Stocker s ollicu on Wed, nesday evening to consider the pro-i povjiil Id form a lowing e.ub in Is'ew Plymouth, iir iS. AV. Shaw presided, and slated in his opening- remarks that in* was very pleased that the move* ment had been set afoot, lie recalled the time, twenty years ago, when New j Plymouth had good ereus in training, and they did very well until the Waitai'a ciubs sonnneiieed getting light boats. .New Plymouth did not follow suit, and eventually tiiey ceased to take part 111 rowing contests. Per«onally a he would do all he could to help the club, for he believed timt with a good committee'there was nothing to prevent the formation of a very stnuig club. 11c mentioned the bcue fieial effects of rowing, and i'e.t that ; the public would give hearty support. I[n concluding, he apologised for the | absence 'of Mr New lon King, Mr . W. | tiovett and Mr .1. Quillam, mentioning I that the two latter gentlemen had promised donations of two guineas each to the funds.

Air Cathro, one of the conveners, said that "lie and Air llaiina had watched Urn har'yior Very carefully ijor isomjJ, time, and had come to the conclusion that good rowing could be obtained on live days a week. In Wellington only four days could be relied 011. From interviews with many business peoplj' he was sure the club,, if formed, wouat be well supported, many trophies having already been promised. There was a very general desire to help this movement towards introducing' ing—tii,e cleanest sport in the colony — which would be a good thing for the harbour. He moved that a club be formed, to be called the New Plymouth llowing Club. Air L. B. Webster seconded. Air Johnstone opened a very inter esting discussion as to ways and means. Air lianna reported that he had obtained an estimate of X-iO for the erection 6f a shed at Aloturoa, and Air Cath'ro 'ihat he had received .several oilers to sell second-hand plant. Messrs Johirstoiie and Annituge, whilst desiring the formation of tiie club, said they would be sorry to see anything done until an actual test had demonstrated that the water at the harbour was suitable for rowing. They pointed out that not only the surface had 1o be considered, but also tiiiO I range. It was jinp<s,sibM 'to row four oared boats if thrre was any appreciable swell. Others followed iu a similar strain, and it was pointed out that if the club was to succeed they must be able to use fours, or the crows would not .be able to compete in many events at regattas. Stumps were 'shown to be out of the question, as .stump-row'ng was not in vogue in this Island. The matter of distance from the town was mentioned, but various gentlemen mentioned that many other clubs were even worse situated. Air Clarke and Air Cathro said there would doubtless be no difficulty in obtaining a boat from the Waitara Club for tenting purposes, adding that 'the rowing men there were anxious to see a >trong New Plymouth club. Eventually Air E. Griffiths moved an amendment, seconded by Air Arnutage, that a committee be set up to hire or obtain a four-oared outrigger from Waitara for the purpose of testing tiie state of the water at Aloturoa, and report to a further meeting on the pro.-pects of using thi,< class 'of boat. This was carried. Til* following committee was set up, comprising Messrs Johnstone, Armitage, Cathro, lianna, Clarke, Wor lliington, Xieholl, Staples, and lvebble. A vote of thanks to the chair termin- • a ted the business. ~ Tlu< eonnnittei'- met sub.sequcn'tfy, Mr .Johnstone presiding. Air Cathro was appointed interim secretary, ami was requested to communicate with Ihe Waitara Club in terms of the prejv'i4us resolution. A cohiiffitTed was set up to arrange for the housing •of the boat. Air Wlocker offered tne eoiuinitlee tihe free use of the room for meetings, and the offer was accepted with thanks. ~ Alentbers of the committee will visit the port today and make housing ararrangements and inquire as to probable sites for the buathouse.