NOTES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12480, 17 April 1906, Page 10

NOTES.

(SPECIAL TO " THE mESS.") PICTOX, April lfi. The accommodation of tlio townsh p was taxed to the utmoist, the number of visiting oarsmen boing greater than at any previous regatta held here. Ex-curt-ionwte flowed into tho town from all directions.

Proceed in jgs started with the Championship Fours, in which tho Canterbury Rowing Club was tho only Canterbury club represented. Tho tstatof the race, which was a very good one from the starter's point of view, was spoilt by the backwash of the Mararoa, which arrived just before tho crew« tvero «?nt off. Tho umpire might with advantage havo delayed tho race for a few minutes. Blenheim from the start drew away, the Ixaclanifili apparently not troubling them as much as some of tho others. They established a four or five lengths lead, rowing 3o strokes to- the minute, and although Canterbury and AVanganui closed on them, they won a splendid race by two lengths. Canterbury, being caught napping on the pest, were beaten by a few leet for wcond' place. In the Maiden Fours Picton. Union, AVanganui, and Nelson were late in arriving at tbe post, and the race was started without them. Stats won a good race by half a length Irom Avon, who beat Canterbury by a length and a half.

• Union (Christchurch) won the Junior : Pairs from Stars". The«> two crews . were level until a short distance from 'the finishing post, when Union, with

'ii f-plcmlid effort, snatched the victory. | It wa« anticipated that the Champion ! .Single Sculls would move one of the finest races of the day, for. with such champions as "Welch. "McOrnt-li, and , "Webb, a great struggle was looked for. , Tho men were despatched to another fine start, but erratic ct.ee ring soon widened the distances between them, : and the race resolved itself into a contost between Webb and Welch. The latter held a commanding lead of four lengths until 300 yards from tho finish, I when Webb, by a magnificent effort] ! reduced the gap to a length. At this I stage both boat.-- received the wash of | a launch, and Welch went to pieces ; and rt-oppod rowing, leaving Webb to j paddle in the easiest of winners. Nelson- creator! a surprise in tbe I .Tii!' ; ir Fours by bea'ing the Star ore-tv, j which had brrn snm-wfnl in almost, every race they had started in tlnis season . J The race frr the Champion Doullo ! Sculls was r.-'bbod of mno-h of its iv- | te.roi-tt. owing to the action of tlie '. starter in fowling the c:-ew«s off withont : Akarna. who were turning info position : a.s lie dropped h\> flag. 7'Jh'k race demon- , strated the splendid scuiHiug of the j Wanganui Urion couple, who had an j ea-y win from Wellington. Tlie Wan- | gauui men. s-eererl a splendid course. j a.nd wr-Vi deserved the proud position of j beirg the only champions to | defend th-fir t : tle at tbe | Wanganui Unions and AucklaTid were the only crews to face the starter in the Ladies' Plate, and after a magnificent struggle the former gained the j victory by half a length.

Late in the afternoon, the secretary of t3i? Blenheim Ro~.-Lag Club intimated that it had been discovered that one of rho club.** crew which won the Youth*.' Four at tlie Wairau Regatta on Saturday is over age. The race therefcro goes to Canterbury, who finished second.

A _ood doal of discussion _<_-. ensued at different times as to th? advisablencss of making the Piotrm course a permanent ou<? for all charopionphiip re><rarta.«. After tho trouble caused to the crews by tho numerouf= motor launches thru l>ly up and down the harl>our, it woukl ho inarlvwaihlo to make Picton the p?rmane:vt locale unless tho committee- can see soniff way of stopping all traffic on the course. To-day tho launches wero a decidedly disturbing faotcr on an otherwise perfect water. The local commitxec* did all in their power to control theto, but those in charge of tho craft apjx*arod to 1«» rnvjwrwuble. TV* eornmirttoe wero aHy seconded by }Ir ivclwards. the harhourmajstor, who issued a circular Co all

owners of launches, requesting them to koi'p off the oour-?.? during tho prcgrctss of tho regatta, and it was no fault of his tiliat th© nuisance cropped tip. Itis difficult to puggest-, a remedy, foul, it, is quite certain after t-o-d-ay's qx\krionco that clubrs frctn a clistaaice w'll hesjhate beforo sending* crows to compete at any rcaa-tta h?ld at Picton unless drastic step* aro taken to prevent a recurrence of to-days trouble.