THAMES REGATTA.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 84, 16 January 1872, Page 3

THAMES REGATTA.

f|A mhf.tixo of the Regatta Committee was ijiclcl last evening, at the Pacific Hotel. : Messrs W. Davies, C. Curtis, piinpson, Dr Sam, Cook, Muir, and the Hecretary. fi The following letter was read “ Auckland, January 12, 1872. J. 0. Jones, Esq., ; ion. sec. Thames Regatta. Sir,—l am in receipt of yours of 9th inst., informing me that a protest had been entered against ‘ the Ripple, on the ground that she is over seven tons, and that it would be necesfelary for me to produce a certificate that | sins does not exceed that measurement ( before you would pay me the prize. In ||ep]y, I beg to state that I was not aware phat such a protest had been entered till I lieceived your letter, and that the boat is present at the Wade, consequently I ij pm unable to furnish the certificate. 1 Ijnay state that last Auckland Regatta she I|von the race for boats not exceeding seven Hons, and was paid the prize money withifpiit protest. Further, it is not customary I: for the party protested against to disJpprove ; it rests with the protestor to prove if that he is justified in protesting. I therefore request you will hand me the amount j 'of second prize, viz,. £3. —I am, &c., IfTnos. Henderson, junior." i| Mr Muir said if the money was paid to (the applicant ho would he personally for its repayment if it could Jibe proved that the vessel was under seven lltons.—lt was then agreed to pay the gtmoney. P The following letter was next read : 1“ 12th January, 1872.—T0 the Chairman pjnnd Committee of flic Thames Regatta, HGrahainstowri. —Gentlemen, —I have the Hhonor to lay before you certain facts and plconveisation that took place on the entry jSuiglit of the Thames Regatta, Graliamsj|towii, January 2nd, 1872, between yourraselves and one or more members of the iAuckland Rowing Club, in connection I with the Amateur Four-oared Gig Race, [lit having come to the knowledge of the •j! club that your definition of the word a ‘ Amateur’ differed somewhat from what |!lias been the rule here, our Mr C. llopi kitis, prior to our boat being entered, (asked your committee what was their doji finition of the word 1 Amateur,’ the reply I was, ‘ Any person that did not earn his living plying for hire with pair of sculls.’ |To this we have witnesses. On the | strength of this, ho asked you (naming I bis crew, or part thereof, viz., Keane, I Ncwdick, and himself) if they were 1 considered amateurs, and would they |be entitled to the prize if they won. To this you replied certainly. The boat ■was then entered in good faith, the en-

trance fee paid, and all fully understood I the nature of the transaction. Judge of : J| my surprise when your Committee enteritained the protest entered by the Nonpareil (a boat that never started), but to this I have no wish to enlarge upen, when, as I have before mentioned, our boat was entered and accepted in good faith, and in accordance with your rules and regulations. Now to the point: At a general m meeting of this Club last Wednesday (the first night after our members returned H from the Thames) the whole matter was "J thoroughly sifted, and the only conclusion ; we could arrive at was, that having won H the first prize, £lO, fairly, Ac., that tho (money we must have. I have now to inform your Committee that, knowing this club is entitled to tho amount, I shall feel I obliged by your forwarding mo a cheque . for the full amount by noon on Monday j next, 1 iitb instant, to avoid any further I trouble. Should I not receive a satisfacI tory reply, 1 shall without any further dcI lay place the matter in the hands of the | Club’s legal adviser. —I am, &c., Gi'.o. 11. i Fletcher, Hon. Sec. A.R.C.” Dr Sam said the whole affair lay in a ! nutshell. They (the committee) were % bound to maintain their dignity. These

/ people from Auckland had been well i received as gentlemen coming from Auckj land always were at the Thames. This 1 was a most impertinent letter, and he i; would move that it be not received, but be i returned under the cover to the writer, I and let him go to his legal adviser if he liked. —Mr Muir seconded. —Mr Davies 1 said the letter contained a direct falsehood, and no such question was put to the com- ! mittce, that he was aware of, as that js stated.—Dr Sam said it was only right i that the public should know how tho

matter stood.—Air Cook said lie distinctly

I stated that the} - would not he considered I amateurs. They might go in. but if they I won, and there was a protest, they would I not get the prize.—Dr Sam said he would 1 move that the chairman write to | the papers here and in Auckland, setting | forth the real facts. He considered Mr I Fletcher’s letter a most insulting one. and f* would strongly recommend the committee | to return the compliment on the old priu | ciple, xtniilia similibus ciirmilur. —It was % ultimately agreed to write the following i letter in reply : § “ Crahamstown, January 15, 1872. Sir, J —I am desired by the committee to return your communication of the 12th inst. % • —I am, Ac.. J. 0. Jones, lion, see.” Mr Davies and Mr Simpson were apI pointed to audit the accounts Ac., and after a vote of thanks to the chairman. I the meeting terminated.— It was stated I that there was a balance in hand of £8 I 17s hut the balrflice-sheet was not sub- | nutted, it not being quite completed.