THE REGATTA.

Evening Star, Issue 8154, 1 March 1890, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE REGATTA.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,—Allow me to make a few remarks concerning the late Dunedin regatta. My grievance is the way in which they carry things out. First of all two strangers come here and lead the Committee about any way they like. The course for the Sculling Race could not be decided before they arrived in Dunedin to give their opinion. Again, there was only to be one prize for this race, but one man intimated that he would not row unless they made a second prize, and of course the Committee granted his request. I fancy I see them doing it for the local men. Then the official programme was altered, and so three of the best men were thrown out of the Dingey Race after their 15s for entry was taken. These three men could not row in this race as they were booked for the Champion Fours, and the time between the two was too limited. Next, in regard to Champion Fours, at the start the Dunedin men and the Northern men never had hold of the buoys, as did every other boat. When the starter told them to take hold of the buoys these erews refused point blank to do so. The starter, in his evidence before the Committee when the protest was considered, said he was satisfied that it was a fair start. But it is hard to say what some people call a fair start. I have it on good authority—parties

who were spectators on board the Osprey, and had money on the race—that Dunedin got one length and a-half and the Auckland men half a length start before any other boat started, and that all the other boats were level. However, the next time that the Dunedin Regatta Committee accept the Union Rowing Club’s entry I think they may save themselves the trouble of laying a buoy to start from. Since strangers can come and refuse with impunity to obey the starter’s orders, I don’t see whv tbe local men should not break the rules without running any risk of being disqualified. If the James Edwards had won the race, which she could not have helped doing but for the stroke rowing three-quarters of a mile disabled by his stretcher breaking, they would have been disqualified, and no favor shown to them, without a protest.—l am, etc., . One Spectator, Port Chalmers, February 25,