Aquatics. [By Neptune.] NEW ZEALAND AMATEUR ROWING ASSOCIATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1902, Page 6 (Supplement)

Aquatics. [By Neptune.] NEW ZEALAND AMATEUR ROWING ASSOCIATION.

A correspondent, who occupies a prominent position in Wellington rowing circles, writes me as follows :~ "Leading aquatic writers in tha South <<have been deluding themselves (and their readers) that an important alteration in the constitution of the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association was effected at the last meeting of that body, and that the struggle for local self-govern-ment in rowing has eiffod in & glorious triumph in favour of those seeking the reform. Throughout the present movement the same contributors have shown a lamentable want of intelligence- in distinguishing between the purposes of the constitution and of the rules of the governing body. As a result, they hare quite mistakenly been urging an 'amend* iaent of the constitution when their de« sires would be met by alteration of tha rules. As Mr. H. D. Bell, the Chairman at the last meeting, and one of the most eminent legal authorities in the colony, observed, any alteration of the constitution was out of the question. The association would require to djsband and reform on fresh lines. No change in the existing foiin of government, least of all in the constitution, was brought about by the resolution carried, which amounted to a mere expression ot opinion on the part of a majority of delegates that the rules should be altered providing for local self-government, and the Managing Committee should submit proposals to that end at the next annual meeting. The motion was carried on the votes not of clubs but of delegates. The motion passed will result in clubs being supplied with information enabling them to come to a decision weather* decentralisation in government is desirable or not. Therefore, it will be seen that the real struggle still remains to be fought ouij at the annual meeting, when such proposals for local government are submitted to the decision of clutis and are required to be carried by the requisite majority. In the mea«time it is the veriest bunkum on the part of these Southern writers to contend that the struggle for the centre system is over and a glorious triumph achieved, when the matter is still undecided. With fuller information at their disposal it is just possible these clubs may not favour the innovation proposed." The question of chest measurement has {says a Sydney writer) been discussed as bearing on stamina. The experience of rowing men is that a great amount ot chest does not indicate staying power in an oarsman. What a man needs in this way is depth' of chest, andto be ribbed well down. A broad ckest is not • geod, nor is a pigeon-shaped breastbone, but the right thing is a round body with arms set well forward. A flat back with spinal column set in deep between the shoulders is not nearly as strong as a rounded back. The "best chest is where the depth and largest measurement is set lew, a few inches below the arm-pits. A 9st man in condition, with 34 inches of chest, is usually good as a stayer, and for a full-sized man 36 to 38 inches are enough for anything. Beach's chest was about 4lin, Searle's under 40 inches. * Hanlan had 40iin, Nielsen well over that amount. Some of the poorest stayers have had 45 and even 4?in chest. As a matter of fact chest has to play second fiddle to stomacl in rowing. Unless a man has good muscle coveting his stomach he will never last, no matter how much his chest pouts. Musculnr development shown power, but not stamina, and a man who has heavy muscles in his chest is never a stayer. Always look for roundness in the badv, the arms, the legs, and the, neck.- The broad flat wrist, neck, or ankle is weak, so is the chest, stomach, or back that is flat and broad.