POSTPONEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 24, 30 January 1939, Page 8

POSTPONEMENTS.

SPORTS FIXTURES.

RAIN CAUSES LOSS.

REGATTA NEXT SATURDAY.

FIRST TIME WITHIN MEMORY. Financial loss, inconvenience, and waste of time hae been caused to various eporte bodiee throughout the Auckland Province as a result of the wet day. With the exception of the races at Ellerslie, everything was postponed— regattas, tennis, cricket, bowling, athletic sports meetings, picnics and excursions. In all these postponements there was disappointment for thousands of people, but it was more eerioue for some of the organisations which, in preparing for what irt normally a ''bumper" day, have expended a Rood deal of money. They will now have difficulty in making this up. Some of the sports have fixed definite alternative dates, and will be able to recoup themselves to a certain extent, but i:he change in dates will probably mean a drop in entries for various sports meetings, and, perhaps, a falling in the attraction to be offered. Regatta Precedent. Auckland's regatta, which has been the principal fixture for the past 89 years on Anniversary Day, was postponed until Saturday at 8 a.m. owing to the hard easterly and big sea on the harbour. This is the first time in the recollection of old residents that an Anniversary Day regatta has had to be postponed.

After obtaining- weather reports from all available sources, including East tape, which reported a heavy south-eas-terly gale, Mr. 0. Dennes, chairman of the committee, consulted Captain H. H. Sergeant, harbourmaster. Sir Ernest Davis, president of the regatta, and Captain William Ross. Mr. Dennes held a meeting of the committee at 8 a.m. at the harbourmaster's office. Queen's wharf, where it was unanimously decided to postpone the regatta until Saturday, when the full programme will be carried out. As soon as the decision was made steps were ttken to notify, where possible, all competitors and others. This was so well done that during the morn- » ing only three or four of the 305 entrants i were under way. and they soon returned to their moorings. t The chief reason for the postpone- , ment was in the interest of the large number of small craft competing, fullv 50 per cent of the sailing and power , boats being 10 feet and under. s The committee donated a quantity of r perishable provisions to a local charit- ■ able institution. 4 The yachting fixtures for next Saturday ' included races of the Royal New Zealand 1 Yacht Squadron and the Victoria Cruising Club, which w ilftio doubt be deferred - until a later date. The Victoria Club 1 was represented on the regatta commiti tee. and they agreed to this course. ' At Hamilton Also. The regatta at Hamilton was also postponed until Saturday, and sporting J event# that have been postponed indefinitely were the cricket at various city, r suburban and country grounds, bowling events, and sports meetings at Patu- » mahoe, Taupo, Ararimu and Te Awas mutn. 1 The Whakatane R.S.A. picnic was postponed until February 4, aa were > also the Northern Wairoa Scottish J Society's sports and the T e Kuiti equestrian sports. r The Frankton Junction anniversary tourney has been postponed indefinitely, as has the Heleiisville A. and I'. Show. The Auckland provincial tawn tennis championships, which were in the final stages, have also been postponed. The junior and intermediate events will be ' held on Friday commencing at 1.30 p.m. and th« senior events on Saturday. "