THE REGATTA.

West Coast Times, Issue 705, 27 December 1867, Page 2

THE REGATTA.

The Third Hokitika Annual Regatta commenced yesterday, and constituted one of tho most attractive features of the day's proceedings, as was evidenced by tho numbers of people who thronged Gibson's Quay to witness tho two events that made up the first day's programme. Both races wero •keenly and fairly contested, and would have passed oil without a hitch, but for the unfortunate mistake, or rather misunderstanding respecting tho position of the goal, that lost tho Jboat Royal Mail Express the second prize of the first event. Perfect in other respects, tho arrangements of the Race Committee were faulty with regard to the finishing point, whioh we think should have taeen de-

fined by a substantial and unmistakable mark — such as a boat or buoy — for tho contesting boats to either round or pass. Instead of this the gaol was merely an imaginary line defined by the judge who notified the passing of the winning boats across it by gun shot. If the number of shots to bo fired had been clearly understood no mistake would have arisen, for it appears that the crow of the Royal Mail Express imagined that one discharge was the final signal of termination, whereas it had been decided to fire twice, viz., as tho first and second boats came in. Altogether there seemed to be a great deal of unnecessary obscurity involving that which should have been the simplest and easiest understood point of the race. The course was mai-ked by two boats, one being anchored off the lower end of Beach street, the other half a mile up the river, nearly undsrneath the punt wire. The starting and finishing point lay between them, off the end of Eevell street, and was marked on shore by a short flagstaff bearing the Union Jack. Here Mr Hudson, the starter and judge took his stand. Tho first event, open to all comers, was a pair-oared skiff race for boats twenty feet long and upwards, the price of entry being ten shillings, three boats to start or no race, first prize, L 7, second prize L 2 10s. The following boats started and are placed as they finished : — Name of Boat Owner Colour Jane Hawkins Blue 1 Duke of Edinburgh Scoresby "White 2 Royal Mail Express Foster Amber 3 Lady of the Lake... Ogilvie ... 4 Pride of the West.., Austin Red 5 The boats were marshalled by Messrs Cassidy and Gallop, and would have got away dead in a line had not tho starting gun hung fire. This contretemps created a little confusion, which, however, was but momentary, as a score of voices echoed the starter's shout of " off," which he immediately uttered, and away went tho five competitors, Lady of the Lake, Duke of Edinburgh, and Jane beiug in advance of the other two by half a length. Jane soon drew ahead, closely attended by Duke of Edinburgh, with Lady r f tho Lake well upon her quarter, Royal Mail Express being f ourth, and Pride of the "West last. This order was slightly altered wlion the boats rounded tho upper boucon, Jane by that time having taken a decided lead of three lengths, with Duke of Edinburgh and Lady of the Lake nearly stem and stem behind her, and Royal Mail Express close in their wake, Pride of the West nowhere. The same order was maintained in the down-stream pull, excepting that Express took third place from Lady of the Lake, tho lower boat being rounded by Jane four lengths ahead, Duke of Edinburgh second, Express third, Lady of the Lake fourth, Pride of the West fifth. The second round then commenced, the pull up stream being made, and tho upper boat again rounded, without any decided change taking place in the boats' positions ; but before tho old Ruby was breasted Express took second place, and Lady of the Lake challenged and passed the Duke for third. The three boats were all of a heap when the lower boat was rounded, but by keeping the inside place, the Duke managed to round first, and so repassed Lady of the Lake, and crawled well-up upon Express's quarter. The race was easily won by Jane, which came in quite four lengths ahead, with Express leading for second priz,e fully a length ahead of the Duke. Royal Mail Express must have won it but for the mistake made by her crew, who ceased pulling when the first prize gun was fired, and were instantly collared and passed by the Duke's men, who took their boat in second. Distance pulled, two miles ; timo — eighteen minutes by Jane, nineteen minutes thirty seconds Duke of Edinburgh. The latter claimed the stake, but the Express protested against its being so awarded, on the plea of misconception, as it was not clearly laid down whether one or two guns would bo fired. Tho protest was made verbally and accepted by the Committee, who agreed to meet in the even- ■ ing and decide the case. The second event was a four-oared skilf race, to be pulled by liconsed watermen of tho port only. Distance three miles — three times round the course. First prize, LlO j second prize, L 2 10s. For this raco five boats entered and started, and came in as follows :—: — Royal Mail Express Foster Amber 1 Sweepstakes Scott White 2 < Lady of the Lake... Austin Red 3 Telegraph Kolp RWandß 4 Defiance Pow Blue 0 A capital start was effected ; Express and Lady of the Lake loading stem and stern, but when the first boat was rounded the amber Jcolour showod ahead, red flag being close astern, and white next. We were unable owing to the thick rain and mist to make out tho relative positions of tho other two. Amber still led at the conclusion of the first mile with white second, red third, tho tri-colour fourth. Defiance was altogether no where, the bow oar thole pin having carried away, and straugo to say thero was not a spare one iv the boat. She gave the- race up very shortly afterwards. The position of the other four scarcely altered until tho conclusion of the second round, when Royal Mail Express led by ten lengths, Sweepstakes being second, Lady of tho Lake third, Tri-color nowhere. This order was maintained during the last mile, Amber steadily increasing its lead, aiid finally came in a winner by fifteen lengths, Sweepstakes taking second prize about three lengths ahead of Lady of the Lake. Tho latter contested the latter part of the race under great disadvantage, as she lost her rudder shortly after completing the third half-mile. But for this wo believe she would have taken second place. The winning boat pulled tho distance in thirty-one minutes, the second boat in thirtytwo minutes. No time was lost in settling, for immediately the race ended the crews of the leading boats were summoned to the Shamrock Hotel, and the stakes handed over by Mr Wagner, the treasurer. -The second being in dispute only, the first prize of the first raco was awarded. At the meeting of the Committee last evening, it was decided that the second prize should be recontested by the disputing bouts after tho main races had come off, aud in tho event of their refusing to do so, tho sum L 2 10s should be applied as seemed best to the Committee. The second race was contested in the midst of heavy drenching rain, that quite marred the interest of the proceedings, and drove all but the more enthusiastic lovers of boat racing to shelter.

To-day's programme is very tempting, and comprises an amateur four-oared skiff race, a sailing-boat race, and a whale-boat race.

The latter is expected to be one of the best events that has ever come off on the river.