Sportsman’s Notebook Avon Rowing Club Will Shift To Kerr’s Reach

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28321, 5 July 1957, Page 5

Sportsman’s Notebook Avon Rowing Club Will Shift To Kerr’s Reach

The first of the rowing clubs in Christchurch to make a definite move towards shifting its headquarters to Kerr’s Reach is the Avon club. The club’s old premises are for sale, and it is likely that the Canterbury Car Club will purchase them.

The need for the clubs to shift from their present positions has arisen because of the Christchurch Drainage Board's decision to remove the Dallington weir.

As soon as the sale of the old property is completed, the Avon club hopes to begin building its ne<V club-house at Kerr’s Reach. Plans have already been drawn up for a large two-storeyed building, which includes a spacious social room.

As yet, the 'Canterbury, Union, and Christ’s College Rowing Clubs, all of which have premises on the Avoij. above the weir, have made nd ’arrangements to move from their present sites. At a meeting of the Canterbury Rowing Association this week the clubs were asked to draw up reports of how they would be affected, financially and otherwise, if they shifted their headquarters to Kerr’s Reach. Several of the clubs are reported to be gravely concerned at the toss. of. money which may be involved in the shift. * 'v V

North v. South Hockey

The North Island-South Island representative hockey fixture will this season be played at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, on Saturday. September 7. Nominations for the teams shculd be in the hands of the management. committee of the New Zealand Hockey Association by July 29. At its meeting in Christchurch this week ■ the committee appointed Messrs E. S. Hobson and B. Bedford (South) and P. Spiers and H. E. Watts (North) to select the players to take part in the match. * * * Surf Club Additions Although the Waimairi Surf Club is the youngest of the Canterbury surf clubs, it is also one of the most progressive. Club members have added a further 400 square *eet to the existing premises, and an ideal observation post for use during the patrol season has been formed by the addition. The building now commands a view of a long expanse of beach. The Waimairi club has received little in the way of finance, but much help in the form of voluntary labour. ¥ * ¥ Soccer At Ashburton A Shamrock club Soccer team comprising mainly senior players will travel to Ashburton tomorrow, where a game has been arranged with an Ashburton team to be played at the domain. The visit will be welcomed by the followers of the code in the district. ¥ ¥ ¥ Good League Offer The captain of the French Rugby League team which has just competed in the World Cup series in Australia, Jacques Merquey, has been offered a contract worth £13,000 to play at Wollongong, New South Wales, for five years. The contract includes £2OOO signing-on fee, £lOOO a season, and employment at £25 a week. Merquey will give his reply next week. The captain of the 1951 French team which toured Australia, PuigAubert, was offered a similar contract to play at Wollongong, but did not accept. ¥ ¥ ¥ Basketball Trials The players chosen for the basketball trials from which the secondary schools representative team will be selected to play the touring Fijian side are as follows. —Forwards: F. Wilson (Rangi-ruru); J. Doocey, P. Nooney (Sacred Heart); M. Wilson (Papanui); L. Johns (West Christchurch); J. Thompson, D. Grey (St. Mary’s). Centres: L. Mardon (Avonside); M. Hopkins (Papanui); M. Coulson (Sacred Heart); L. Stephens (Technical); J. Potts (West Christchurch); M. McCrea, P. Weir, T. Flood (St. Mary’s). Defence: M. Berwick, P. Lawson (Sacred Heart); C. Osburn (Avonside); D. Wehipeihana, L. Anderson (Technical); L Johnson,

M. Farmer (West Christchurch); H. Williamson (St. Mary’s); H. Jones (Rangi-ruru).

Old Boys v. Marist

Tomorrow’s Rugby match between High School Old Boys and Marist will be the main game at Rugby Park, and it is many seasons since supporters of these two t?ams have seen them meet on that ground. The Old BoysMarist clash has in recent seasons been one of the most keenly-contested, as both teams have been near the top of the competition. This year, however, the main match at Lancaster Park will be between Sydenham and Technical, which are at present equal ‘in second place in the competition. ¥ ¥ ¥ Australian Car Rally Thirty-eight entries from vari- 1 ous parts of the world have been received by the sponsors of the 10,000 mile 1957 Mobilgas Rally around Australia. The prize money, of £16,000, is one of the richest awards ever offered for a motoring event. One of the most experienced competitors and a top favourite is a Californian millionaire, Ray Crawford. Owner of a large supermarket business, Crawford was an American flying ace of World War 11. He won 16 decorations, and was one of the first American pilots to fly a jet aircraft. Since 1947 he has raced stock cars, midgets, sports cars, speedboats and aircraft. He won the 1954 Mexican road race and the 1957 PanAmerican road race. He has (competed in the famous Indianapolis race twiqe.