Aquatics.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 102, 27 October 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

Aquatics.

[By Neptune.]

The Stars and Wellingtons had a small regatta on their own account on Monday evening, the former rowing! the final heats of the Senior cmd 1 Junior Fours, and the latter making a substantial start with the Club Fours' competition. Some capital racing was witnessed, and several of the crews showed very ctelditable form. The Star regatta crews were picked this week, and are now in active training. • Alex. Newton has good men behind him in the Senior Fours, and his beam's victory would be hailed with satisfaction by all true sports. Th© convertible pair-oared 1 boat which Mr. Norton shipped last week to the order of the Otago Rowing Club will be used at this season's regatta by Priest • and M'Grath, who are already in training in view of tho Championship Regatta. M'Grath, the ex-champion, will piobably be a competitor for the Champion Sculls, for which there promises to be a better entry than has been the case Tor the last two years. The Christchurch Regatta Club (which will in all probability nave the management of this season's Championship Regatta) has elected the following officers : —President, Mr. A. E. G. Rhodes"; VicePresidents, Messrs. H. D. Buchanan, R. Heaton Rhodes, C. Lewis, W. H. Montgomery, end E. Le Lievre; Auditors; Messrs. O. C. M. Ollivier and F.. W. Dunnage; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. F. D. Kesteyen. The club is in the pleasurable position of having! a credit balance of £70 and' no liabilities. At the annual meeting it was stated that a very liberal programme had been provided for tho Championship Regatta, on the understanding that allocation of date and course should be left to the Canterbury Executive. December 26th was considered the most suitable date, and Little River the best course.

An attempt is being made to resuscitate the Hokitika Boating Club under the title of the Hokitika Aquatic and Cycling Club, the object of which will be the promotion of boating and cycling. The new club promises to have a strong membership. The experiment of running the same organisation under the rules oi the N.Z. Amateur Rowing Association and the N.Z. Leaguiei of Wheelmen will be watched with considerable interest. Mr. A. E. G. Rhodes, the Presidentelect of the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association, is President of tho Canterbury Rugby Union, the League of New Zealand Wheelmen, and the Christchurch Regatta Clubl "Jason," the well-known oquatio writer in the Canterbury Tunes, commenting on the deadly dullness of the proceedings in connection with the opening of tfee Christcfauroh boating season, saysu — "Unless those directly interested 1 can b& brought to show some enthusiasm, or at least interest, in the function, it might be dropped for a few seasons, to be revived when the Avon River is something better than a large ditch, shallow, muddy, and stinking. The horrible indifference of thia J>ublio to ti© condition of the river weighs heavilyupon the boating man." Mr. C. O. jDacre has retired from the position, of Hon. Secretary to the Auckland Regatta, after an almost continuous period of service extending over twentyfive years. The Victorian Rowing Association has a deficiency of £45, and the necessity is urged of either raising the annual subscription paid by affiliated clubs, or making a special tax or levy for the express purpose of th© intercolonial races. The Duke of York has cabled to the Governor of New South Wales accepting the position of patron of tihi© Printe Alfred Yacht Club, Sydney, of whitn. the late Duke of Saxe-Coburg was patron for a lengthy period.