NEW ZEALAND ROWING ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 325, 12 October 1908, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND ROWING ASSOCIATION.

-— , ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association was held in the Underwriters' Association Rooms on Saturday evening. Mr. H. A. Marriner, viceV president, Auckland, occupied the chair. Other delegates present were Messrs. Benjamin, Innes, Bridson, Bowler (Auckland), Coffey, Kesteven, Smith (Canterbury), Teu- ' tenberg. (Hawke's Bay), Griffiths (Marlborough), Bayfield (Nelson),' Isaacs, and Philp (Otago), Joosten and Mulvey (Southland), Lauchlan (Wanganui), Widdop, Moore, and Sanden (Wellington) i THe adoption of the report and balancesheet (a precis of which has been published) was agreed to. The'following officers were elected for the ensuing season: —President, Mr. H. A. Marriner ; vice-presidents, Messrs. A. S. Biss (Wellington), and S. S. Myers (Dunedin); oounoil, Messrs. W. Coffey (Canterbury), W. J. Gaudin (Wellington), E. E. Hammond (Southland), R. M. - Isaacs (Otago), G. Lauchlan 1 (Wanganui), R. W. M'Villy (Otago), J. S. Widdop (Wellington), secretary and treasurer, Mr, A. D Bayfield (Wellington), auditor, Mr. G. C. Fache. Mf. Kesteven moved as follows on behalf of the Canterbury Association: —(a) Each affiliated club shall register with the asso- . ciation a complete description of its colours, and not more than one club shall register the. same or similar colours. The date of the establishment, of theclub, shall accompany each application for registration, (b) If more than one club shall mako appli- ' cation to register .-the> , same . or, similar colours, the oldest established club shall have preference, and 'the remaining club or. clubs shalli J make ~a fresh .- selection; but in all cases-priority of registration .shall take precedence. (c) Every such registration shall remain in force until superseded by- a fresh registration, (d) No club shall be allowed to compete at any in 1 any but its registered colours, (e) No club colours shall be deemed to bo. registered until approved of by the council, (f) 'In case of any dispute arising in connection with the registration 'of club colours, and not provided for herein, the decision:of the council shall be final: Mr. Benjamin (Auckland) moved as an amendment that the matter of colours be left in the hands of the incoming council. ' After considerable. discussion' the original motion was adopted. _ , Mr* Smith moved on behalf of tho Canterbury Association* the following alteration to rule 3 i—That after the word "delegate in the seventh line tho words "provided that no association shall be entitled to exercise more than five votes" be struck out. If this were done Canterbury, .the largest association, would be able to exercise the seven votes. to which its membership at present entitles it; ; : • The motion met with 'considerable opposi- ' tion from delegates of the smaller, associations, who held the opinion that Canterbury would have too great a voting pojyer if the proposal were adopted. *It might be more - just-a few years hence, when other assooia-, tions had increased in strength; so that the difference .would not be so great.

The motion was lost. The representative of tho Marlborough Association (Mr. Griffiths) moved, as an amendment to Rule 17:—That-from the word "the" in tho-third .line to the end of the rule be deleted, and "to be rowed upon the championship ctmrse in Pioton Harbour," substituted.. , ' It was pointed out that this would have tho effect of having all championship regattas held on the .Picton course. Mr. Griffiths detailed the many advantages of the Picton course, and. mentioned that the Union Steam Ship Company liad been approached and had agreed that if the regatta were held .at Picton tho Wellington-Lyttelton and LytteltonWcllington boats jrould call at Picton, so that crews both from the north and south would have to tranship their boats only once. -Several speakers opposed tho motion, on tho grounds that it would impose too great an expense on the other associations to navo to travel to Picton every year.

The motion was defeated. f Mr. Benjamin (Auckland) moved, and it was agreed" That the chairman's ruling at the last annual meeting of tho N.Z.A.R.A, '' that a professional can belong to an amateur club,' be expunged from the minutes." It was decided, on the motion of, Mr. Benjamin, " That the time has arrived when the championship regatta should include interassociation races;" Tho motion was defeated by a large majority. It was resolved that tho next championship regatta be held at Auckland. Application for control of the regatta was also received from tho Canterbury (Association (at Akaroa). The chairman was asked for. a ruling on the point as to whether a fisherman was a professional. Mr. Marriner said that, in his n fisherman must be considered to bo a