YACHTSMEN'S PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 23, 28 January 1924, Page 3

YACHTSMEN'S PARTY

CUP .VISITORS ENTERTAINED: i . ~~ . „ .. ■'- The yachtsmen 'who are visiting Wellington, for the Sanders Ctip races were entertained on Saturday evening by the Wellington Yacht and Motor Boat Association at a smoke concert in the-Town Hall Concert Chamber. The chairman of the Association, Mr. W. Duncan,',preBided, and amongst those present were the Mayor (Mr. R, A. Wright, M.P.), Mr. A. L.-Monteith, M.P., and delegates to the Dominion Council. In extending a welcome to the visitors Mr. Duncan referred to the occasion as a unique one, as it was the first time Wellington had drawn such a gathering of yachtsmen from all parts of the .Dominion. It was now recognised in Wellington, he said, that -if this • province was to win the ganders Cup it would have to build a new boat. He expressed surprise at the performance of the local boat Peggy in last week's races, and remarked that if the races had been continued she might have;secured a win in time. (Laughter.) He hoped "the visitors would make the evening a .special occasion, for some of those .'present, that night might not be in the ppoirS when 2? foregathered again next year. The toast "Our "Visitors" waff proposed by the Mayor, who spoke in humorous vein of election contests, of which he said he had had more experience than of yachting contests. He felt that whatever boat won the Cup the yachtsmen from other centres would shake the crew by the hand and congratulate them heartily. He hoped that in due course the contest would be sailed again in Wellington, and that the visitors'would take away with them kindly feelings regarding Wellington's hospitality. Mr. J. B.! Johnston, chairman of the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association responding to the toast, sincerely thanked the Wellington yachtsmen for their hospitality. Some" idle rumours had' been floating around ■ regarding Auckland, but he asked them to take no notice of. them. The Auckland representatives wished jto seethe coiitest conducted properly. It was believed "in some quarters sthat Rcna. Iwasra' freak boat, and that if one provipce w.qn the Cup too often it would not be good for the contest. _ The Aucklanders.did ,not desire to win on every occasion, but w«SMd» rather sacrifice the Rona 'on-the alter of her own success. The contests must be fought out in the beat sporting spirit. The friendships cemented by-the annual _ event were of far greater im-1' 'portance than the contest itself., : ' Mr. H. Moller, one of the Otago-dele-gates said the Auckland boat had open-, ed their eyes. Otago recognised', that they had been fairly 'and squarely beaten, but they hoped to enter another boat next time. Dunedin, he ,said; hoped to have the contest sailed in ,that A centre ».in Exhibition Year. ,• '■'■'.• -■•". i , A Southland yachtsman', Mr. H Moffett, said Southland intended to 'win the Cup, and created laughter by saying that it would amount to a calamity if, the trophy did not "go to Half Moon Bay. Mr. C. D. Harkness (Canterbury) believed, the Linnet would be in at tha finish. , If, they did not win on this occasion, however, they, would have another try. ' Mr. H. M'Carthy (Napier) said he did not think the Napier representative Konin, had disgraced herself. ' He knew they had much to learn. They could rest assured that Napier would-be ~iu the contest next year. '■'„■ Speaking on behalf of. the Auckland Association Mr. JE. J. Kelly \ expressed " regret at the disappointment caused by the postponement of that afternoon's race. The chairman would have to suffer some hard knocks for that: The decision could have been made on the toss ■of a penny, instead of taking so long to arrive at. It was natural.that.Auokland should lead in yachting, for, ths Hauraki Gulf was the natural yachting ground of the Dominion. The northern visitors had much appreciated the courtesy shown to them in Wellington. i In the course of the evening the Mayor presented fthe prizes won on 'Regatta. Day. \ \ ■ .