ROWING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20729, 14 December 1932, Page 15

ROWING.

ty. CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. A meeting of tho executive of the Canterbury Rowing Association was held last evening. Present: Messrs V. IX Kesteven (president), D. Lee, R. H. Nightingale, W. H. Evans (vice-presidents), E. Velvin, A. X. Woodham (Akaroa Club), A. T. Evans, G. I;. Young (Avon), CJ. H. Williams (Cure), J. B Taylor, J. McGiffin (Canterbury), R. Wyman, G. Davis (Lyttelton). P. n. Brown (Kawatiri), A. C. Neville (Sumner-Kedclifts), W G. Ataek, W. li. Whittington (Timaru), G.' H. Ilobbs, V. I>. Booth (Union), and Rtf. llobbs (lion, secretary). _ II H. Berry wrote advising his acceptance" of tho proffered position as coach ul tho Canterbury eight. . Tho New Zealand Amateur Association wrote giving formal approval for the championship regatta to be held ot Wanganui on Saturdov, March 4th. It had been hoped, stated the letter, to have arranged Fobruarv 25th as the date, but the Wanganui Club had advised that owing to unsuitable tides and counter-attractions, that day had proved unsuitable. The programme and tho list of judges for the Aluiroa regatta, to be held on January 2nd, 1933, was approved as printed. It was stated that the total of the priie" money offered, £SB, was a slight reduction on that offered in previous yearn. A suggestion -was made that a series of consolation inter-club fours and doublescull races for new members should bo held, the race* being reserved for nonregatta rowers'. It was pointed out that Jhcre wero many members of the Christchurch clubs who, not being selected for regatta races, might otherwise havo to stand on the bank. The matter was left to the Head of the River Committee to deal with. Mr Kesteven said that the condition of the Avon river at present was perfect for rowing, and a pleasure to row % in, and the freedom from breakages, etc., was a great advantage to the clubs. The Association certainly owed s great debt of thanks to tho Drainage Board for its efforts in that connexion. % Practice Eights. Whether the boat used by Olago in the interprovincial practice eight rowing competitions ■was a special racing boat, which had originally been intended for Southland and had gone in error to Otago, caused considerable discussion. Of the two boats used by Otago, said tho secretary, one was much faster than the other. So much so, that the two Otago teams always tossed for the use of the faster boat, and the team winning the toss always won the race. The racing boat had cost the New Zealand Association £2O extra, and had most likely been wrongly packed, going to Otago in place of Southland, It was not Otago's fault that they used the boat, for the two boats there might never have been compared in respect to actual measurements, the Otago team merely knowing that the one boat was faster than the other. Otago always used the fast boat for tho inter-provincial race, and they h*ad won for the last four years. Mr Atack said that the race was certainly for practice eights, and it would seem unfair if one province had the use of a special and lighter racing eight. A member: Would it not seem sour grapes for a complaint such as this to come from Canterbury after Otago winning in tho laßt four years? Mr Hobbs said that he would not like Otago to think that Canterbury were complaining, but if, in error, Otago had the wrong boat, enquiries certainly should be made. He understood that measurements had recently been taken of the boat which had been sent io Southland, the proper destination of the racing boat. Mr Kesteven moved that the New Zealand Association be asked to state exactly where the racing boat was kept. Ho added that if necessary further enquiries could be made later. The motion was carried.