SERIOUS CHARGES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 125, 19 February 1908, Page 10

SERIOUS CHARGES.

■ BOWING MEN IN A TRAIN. (nr TEiEGKAi-n—sricur, coukesi'ondbnt.) Christchurch, February 18. Tlio local sensation -of tlio day in rowing circles is a letter which appeared in this morning's " Times," in which tho writer makes charges against certain rowing men which must form tho subjcct of investigation. Tho gist of his letter is contained in tho first paragraph, in which; after, saying that ho has been a constant attendant at Canterbury regattas for tho past twenty-fivo years, he continues: — " I wish to raiso a noto of protest against tho conduct of a few juvenilis rowing men oil the return journey from Little River on Saturday night. I am not unfamiliar with the adage that boys will be boys, but I declino to subscribe to tho doctrino that tho grossly indccent, and even blasphemous utterances which were used in tho first-class •smoker on tho return journey from Littlo River on Saturday night could bo regarded as a permissible or oven excusable attribute in a respectablo youth. I raiso no objection to a ' certain amount of ' horseplay' in a railway carriago reserved entirely for ' men. These havo been an everpresent corollary ■to each ' return ' journey as long as I can remember, but I declino to beliovo that such harmless frolic need have associated with it grossly indecent songs, shocking obscenity, and oven blasphemous parodies such as were uttered in tho carriago of tho excursion train on Saturday night. The chief offenders were clad in tho colours and woro tho badge of the particular Christchurch rowing club which,' in my rowing days, was regarded as tho most ' respectable' in tho aquatic world —a fact which makes tho incident all tho more regrettable. They, or.'at least some of them, were members of h crew representing that club, and their club officials and tho officers of the regatta.will be lacking in theirduty if they neglect to let those 'cultured' young men know that a first-class railway carriage, even though it be a ' smoker,' is not a place to bo compelled to listen to language that would disgrace the stoke-hole of > the worst ocean tramp visiting our shores." The writer concludes by stating that the editor is-at l liberty to supply his name to any one sufficiently interested to request it. Tho " Times " comments strongly upon tho letter, and adds that: " It is whispered that some of the oarsmen who mado themselves conspecuous by their atrocious behaviour on tho way to town on Saturday evening were ! .not in a. fit condition to travel when they joined the train at Little River, and if this is true it may help .to oxplain why Christchurch has' not been particularly successful in rowing circles' during • the■' past year or two." ' ' '

-! At its meeting to-morrow night tho Christ-. churcH Regatta .Committeo will; discuss and probably investigate tho charges. Mr. J. R. Morrison, who is chairman of both tho Regatta Committeo and tho Rowing Association, says lie is not sure what tho Association may do, but understands that tho clubs will inquire how far their men wore implicated'in tho disturbance. It is certain that no trouble will take placo next Saturday, when tho regatta will be concluded, for the rowing officials liavo undertaken to ensure good behaviour throughout tho train.