CANTERBURY ROWING CLUB.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9834, 17 September 1897, Page 5

CANTERBURY ROWING CLUB.

A special general meeting of the Canterbury Rowing Club was held at their boatsheds last evening, when there was a good attendance, and the Captain, Mr A. L. Smith, presided. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr F. W. Hobbs, seconded by Mr T. L. Cowjcishaw, to register the Club under the Unclassified Societies Act. The thirty-seventh annual meeting was then held. The report of tho Committee stated that the number of members on tho roll was 127, an increase of five on the total of last year. The ordinary revenue, together with £20 received from the salo of the Thamesis, had been sufficient to meet the working exEenses, also the cost of painting tho boatouse and payment of £44 ls of liabilities outstanding from the previous year. It would be necessary, however, to replace a large amount of the plant for the coming season, and as the Committee considered it desirable that a determined effort should be made to reduce the mortgage on the Club property, they decided to raise the necessary funds by means of an art union. A best four and a racing stump had been ordered from Mr G-. Norton, and two practice fours from Mr E. D. Rees. Those additions would make the plant complete for some years, and the fleet would then consist of twentynine boats. Owing to the loss through removal of several of their senior oarsmen, the Club had not been as successful as usual at the regattas held eavly in the season, but at the Christchurch Regatta the junior crew won both the Junior Fours and the Ladies' Plate. The Club races during the season showed a decided increase of entries. The innovation of granting free membership to scholars from the Boys' High School had been the means of bringing forward some promising juniors, and its continuance was recommended. The consistent services of Mr J. Fuller as coach were duly appreciated. The balance-sheet showed receipts £272 Os 3d, and expenditure £269 4s 2d, leaving a credit balauce of £2 16s Id. The surplus of assets over liabilities amounted to £690 19s 2d. On the motion of Mr N. L. Macbeth, seconded by Mr T. L. Cowlishaw, the report and balance-sheet were adopted. The following officers were elected :— President, Mr R. J. S. Harman; VicePresidents, Messrs A. E. G. Rhodes, A; F. N. Blakiston, and R. D. Thomas; Captain, Mr A. L. Smith ; Deputy-Captain, Mr L. W. Appleby ; Hon. Secretary, Mr F. W. Dunnage; Hon. Treasurer, Mr A. L. Styche; Committee, Messrs F. I. Cowlishaw, T. L. Cowlishaw, J. R. Evans, A. L. T. Jones, N. L. Macbeth, and C. F. Turner; Racing Committee, Messrs T. L. Cowlishaw and F. W. Dunnage; Auditors, Messrs H. R. Homan and F. E. Wright, jun. Twenty-one new members were elected. The Ckairwav stated that the boats ordered from Mr Rees would be ready in four weeks, and those ordered from Mr Norton were due on October Ist. Mr C. F. Tuknei. pointed out that the state of the river was a great drawback to men who desired to train, and suggested that a branch shed should be erected at New Brighton, or that the Club's headquarters should be moved there, where there was good water. Mr N. L. Macbeth said he had seen the river in a worse state, and gave it as his experience that a steady spin of two and a half miles down the river and back did more good than a fast spin over a mile. Mr J. R. Evans pointed out that a shed at New Brighton would mean a considerable expenditure, and he suggested that pressure should be brought to bear on the Drainage Board to improve the river. The Chairman said the Drainage Board had no funds to do more than they were doing. Mr T. L. Cowlishaw pointed out that the advantage of training on the old course was that the coaches could run along the banks, and he would like to see more attention paid to coaching juniors. Mr F. W. Hobbs impressed upon members the necessity for assisting in carrying out the Club's avt union.