ROWING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 64, 17 March 1910, Page 3

ROWING.

UNION CREW RETURNS. ' THE CHAMPIONS WELCOMED. The champion Union crew, of Wanga- j nui, who competed in the Australasian interstate four-oared race at Hobart last j month, was tendered an official welcome by the New Zealand Rowing Aesociatiom at the Empire Hotel last evening. The crew consisted of Messrs. D. Corby,.! W. S. Dustin, J. Cotteiill, and R.. liyland. with Master E. Harley (cox.). Mr. A. S. Biss, vice-president of the , association, occupied the chair. The chairman, in offering very cordial congratulations tb the victors, expressed the hope "that the event would be the forerunner of more frequent meetings. The foundation for the interstate fouroar race, fo far a» New Zealand is con : cerned, was laid thirteen years ago, and jie- himself accompanied 'the Blenheim erew — the three Seymour brothers and Daly — on that occaoioji. In those days the local rowing men thought they could do anything, snd it was decided to tackle Australia. The crew came second, Victoria having won. He could not see exactly why the four-oared competition? 1 had not been more attended to ; iv Australia they had facilities for rowing in the/ eight-oar boats, and he hoped the time was coming when New ZeaJauders would have eight-oar :races, and a crew could then bo sent over. There was, of course, a difficulty in getting an eightoar crew in any one town in New Zealand. The speaker then read a letter written to Mr. Bayfield by the Tasmanian Association, commending in warm terms the peiformance of the Union men. Continuing, he remarked that these competitions seemed lo him more important than the mere meeting of sportsmen. Sportsmen from New Zealand had earned distinction in nearly every branch as against Australians — in tennis, golf, bowls, polo, and sculling. Although we were small in respect of population, we had earned a full measure of credit in competing against the larger countries. This interchange, he thought, benefited the people commercially, and he hoped it would bring mote Australians to New Zealand. The win of the Wanganui men was due to their serioup training, for the want of which, he thought, half the defeats in sport were attributable. Mr. Biss then handed to the crew the handsome shield which, under the rules, belongs to the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association, hut which the committee had decided to present to the Union Boating Club. Mr. A. G. Fell stated that the winners had "done New Zealand a remarkably good turn," and we now "stand at the head of rowing in the Southern Hemisphere." Responding on behalf of tho crew, Mr. W. Sharp, manager, said that from the time the crew went to Hobart they had entered into the spirit of the event. Before they sailed they had four crews to pace them along the river at various stages. Wide Bay (Queensland) had established a lead at the beginning of the race, and held it until wrested from them by the Union men. At a smoke concert, held at Hobart after the race, a suggestion lo send a four-crew to New Zealand was freely made. He thanked the association heartily for the shield. Mr. J. Colterill (stroke), who was accorded an enthusiastic reception, said that after the race the defeated crews had expressed themselves veiy well satisfied with the result.

Mr. E. W. M'Villy proposed the health of- Mr. Albert..Nash, chairman of the New South Wales Rowing Association. The latter, in responding, congratulated the local body in. sending such .a .crew to Tasmania. There was, he said, one state that stood out with reTgard to eight-oar rowing,. and that was Victoria. It seemed to him that arrangements might be made whereby a .ceitnjn^ event could be plated on the New South Wales annual programme, .so as l« haw New Zealand represented. There would shoitly be held in 'New .South Kales a. rowing confeience, and any suggestion made by the New Zealand body with legard to the four-oar .race would be seriously considered. According to figures given to him, Iho Wanganui men had put into the race no less than 126 more strokes than the crews opposed to them. This was a marvellous physical effort, and it reI fleeted credit upon any athletes taking part in snch a contest. The chairman proposed the toast cf Mr, A. D. Bayfield, secretary of the Now Zealand Rowing Association, whose indefatigable efforts at bringing about the lepre-^ntation of New Zealand at Hobart were frequently acknowledged.