ROYAL AKARANA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1937, Page 9

ROYAL AKARANA.

YACHT CLUB HONOUR.

KING APPROVES CHARTER.

THIRD IK NEW ZEALAND.

The Akarana Yacht Club has received word from the Governor-General, Lord Gal way, that His Mejeety the King has approved of the elub'e application, made last July, to be permitted to use the prefix "Royal" to its title.

This honour has been granted to only two other clube in New Zealand. In 1897, when Lord Glasgow was Governor, the Port Nicholson Yacht Club, Wellington, was granted a charter to use the prefix "Royal." In 1902, during the Governorship of the Earl of Ranfurly, the title of "Royal" was granted under charter from the" Admiralty to the NewZealand Yacht Squadron, formerly the Auckland Yacht Club. The late Mr. Chas. P. Murdoch was commodore at the time. Thi--. club's warrant gives ite members the right to fly the Blue Ensign without any defacement. The Royal Port Nicholson's flag hae an anchor in the fly. Most of the charter* now granted for the prefix "Royal" require the club badge, officially termed a "defacement," on the Bine Ensign.

News Not a Surprise. , ; The news did not come altogether as a surprise, eaid Mr. T. McKnight, commodore of the club, this morning. In July last the club was requested by the Lorde Commissioners of the Admiralty to send a copy of its badge to London and to make a formal application for ■ the title through hie Excellency the Governor-General. "Though the newe is especially gratifying to members of the Akarane Club," continued Mr. McKnight, "it will be received with satisfaction by all Auckland yachtsmen. We deeply appreciate the honour, which ie the highest that ;can be conferred on a yacht club, but I look upon it more as an act of recog- ■ nition by Hie Majesty the King and the Lords of the Admiralty of the high etandard that yachting has reached in the&e waters and of the good work by all local clubs in fostering the traditions of the eea, rather than ae a reward for anything the Akerana Club iteelf has done. It is aleo an honour for all local clubs, as they have taken an equal part in raising the eport on the Waitemata I to its present high standard." A special meeting of the club would be held in the near future, Mr. McKnight said, to make the necessary change in the club's constihition, and to acquaint members with full particulars. There would be no great change, he added, in the policy of the club. The commodore issued a warning that the club's burgee could not be flown, nor the Ensign worn indiscriminately, but only in accordance with the terme of the Admiralty warrant, which is now on its way out from England. The new burgee will be the present pennant of red and blue with a white cross, with the Xaval crown in gold in the centre of j the cross. The club's ensign will now | be the Blue Ensign of the Royal Navy Reserve "defaced" with th? club's badge, a Maori sailing canoe surmounted by I the Naval crown in the fly. I History of the Club. The Akarana Yacht Clul>'s present flag officers are as follows: Commodore, Mr. T. McKnight; vice-commodore, Mr. W. Cur-tis; rear-commodore,- Mr. A. Edgcumbe; hon. secretary, Mr. W. Ure. The club was formed in November, 1894, by Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, who called a meeting in the council chamber, Devonport, of those interested, and the club was started as the North Shore Sailing Club, Mr. Wilkinson being hon. secretary for the first 10 years, and later commodore for 14 years. During this time the club prospered, and the name was changed in 1902 to the North Shore Yacht Club. In 1922, as most of its members were on this side of the harbour, the name was again changed to Akarana Yacht Club, and a site for a clubhouse was granted by the Auckland Harbour Board, and the clubhouse built near Campbell's Point. The club has a membership of 400, 294 being owners or part-owners of boats. In recent years the club has been very active in promoting long distance races. It was responsible for the first transTasman race, which the Teddy won, and later a race from Auckland to Melbourne. It was the first club to include a race for Naval whalers in regatta fixtures. Lieutenant-Commander J. T. Lean. who returned to England last week. being the Naval representative on the club's committee. He will now represent p the club on the Yacht Racing Aesocia- * tion of Great Britain in London, to '> which tho Akarana Club is affiliated.