OUR CHAMPION SCULLER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 160, 9 July 1890, Page 8

OUR CHAMPION SCULLER.

PRESENTATION TO TOM SULLIVAN.

EVERYBODY'S GOOD WJfciilEd. The Chamber of Commerce room in the New Zealand Insurance Buildings woe well filled at half-pasfo one coday. There were to be seen most of the prominent rowing men in Auckland, gathored to wish good luck to Mr Tom Sullivan, who goes to Sydney this afternoon. Mr Sullivan is amateur champion sculler of New Zealand, and is about to try what he can learn and what he can do in Australia. His friends in Wellington presented him with a purse of sovereigns on his loaving that town, and in Auckland, where he was born and bred, ib was thought his old friends should do the same. A committee was formed to collect subscriptions, and in the bwo or three days at their disposal the gentlemen forming the committee collected quite a respectable sum. Mr Malcolm'Niccol, Mayor of Deronport (where Tom Sullivan resided for so long), Chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, and Patron of the Auckland Rowing Association, made the presentation. He said the meeting was called to giveagood send-off to Tom Sullivan, who wne aboub to go to Australia, as they all knew, to test his powers against the best oarsmen of the world. In Australia sculling was carried to a great pitch of perfection, and the men there were first-class oarsmen. In going to compete with them Tom deserved every encouragement. In New Zealand he had a firstclass reputation ; bub circumstances were not favourable for bhe education of a great rower. The waters of our harbours are boo uncertain, and our good rivers are too far from the centres of population. But in Australia there is every facility for the production of splendid oarsmen. Tom Sullivan had the reputation nob only of being a good oarsman, bub also of being an honest and faithful fellow. (Applause.) He trusted that reputation would always live with him. He folb quite certain that under all circumstances Tom would do his level best; and even if he did nob succeed in becoming champion oarsman of the world he would always be an honest man. And if cvor the news did arrive that Tom had won a great race there would be many a proud heart in Auckland that night. As for Tom himpclf he could hardly feel prouder than he did on the day when he won his iireb dingy race, an occasion which the speaker well remembered. In Australia he would have the eyes of New Zealand on him, and their best wishes wth him. . Turning to Mr Sullivan, Mr Niccol said : " Your friends in Auckland felt that-you mus'b not go to Australia' without some tangible proof of their regard. They have subscribed for you this purse of sovereigns amounting to £42 10s. The sum is nob very large, bub time was limited or more could have boen obtained. Bub every penny was given most freely and spontaneously, and with fervent hopee that you may succeed. Every man who subscribed will feel a personal interest in you." Mr Niccol then presented the purse to Mr Sullivan amid great applause. Mr Sullivan then replied. He said he was not much ot » speaker, but he must thank them heartily for the presentation. He was going away to another country, and he would have to look after himself. He could promise bhat for the sake of his reputation and the name he bore he would always row straight. If he were beaten, they might rest assured his opponent was a better man. Nothing could have been more acceptable to him just now than the presentation that had been made. He could nob find words to express his thanke to his Auckland friends, bub he hoped some day to return and show them that their friendship had not been misplaced. At any rate he was one of the sort who will " never say die till a dead horse kicks their."' Tvin sat down and was applauded to the oc'ju. Mr Edwin Hesketh, the well-known solicitor, said he had known Tommy Sullivan at ten years of age. Tom had often pulled him out for some fishing at Waiwera, and had then shown in conversation that he would make a reputation for honesty and determination. The speaker had never met a straighter lad, and he had urged Tom's father to give him an education ; for he found him spelling out old newspapers and trying to teach his little brother. Mr Sullivan the elder had followed that advice, and Tom had made good use of his time at school. Mr Hesketh then said he hoped Tom would never allow himself to be carried away by flattery ; and he believed he had sufficient strength of mind to remain uninjured by it. He felt certain Tom would make his marls as an oarsman, and

he wished him all possible prosperity. Mr Hesketh's remarks elicited loud applause. Tom again rose and stated that he had forgotten to thank an old friend, Mr E. W. Burgess, for the interest the latter had always taken in him. Mr Burgees had taken him in hand at first, and deserved his thanks for much of his success. Three cheers were then given for Tom Sullivan, and the meeting broke up.