SUMMER SPORTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20073, 20 October 1939, Page 4

SUMMER SPORTS

WAIROA ACTIVITIES

TO BE CARRIED ON membership increase SATURDAY HALF-DAY (Special lo tlio Herald.) WAIROA, this day. Summer sport in Wairoa will carry on as usual during the coming season, ~11 sporting associations having expressed their intentions lo do “business as usual,” despite the present conditions.

11 is not expected that the petrol restrictions will affect sport in Wairoa lo any great extent as the majority of the summer sporting devotees live handy to town. This, however, is different from the position in the larger towns and cities, where it is often necessary for sportsmen to travel long distances to take part in their favourite sport. The introduction of the Saturday half-holiday in Wairoa will prove of remarkable benefit to sport in tile district and, in some instances, it can be said that this innovation will prove to be the salvation of certain sports. The beneficial eifect of the new halfdav is at once apparent and is reflected in the already increased memberships of various sporting organisations.

To-morrow will mark the opening of the season's activities at the Wairoa Bowling Club, where members will play on a new green, claimed lo be the equal of any on the East Coast. The Labour Day holiday on Monday will lie celebrated by bowlers in the district in the form of a Labour Day Tournament for pairs or trios, the final decision in this respect to be made when the entries are being reviewed. For the opening day it is expected that the green will be visited by representative rinks from Gisborne, Tuai, Waikaremoana and Hawke’s Bay.

The Wairoa Croquet Club also will commence the season’s operations tomorrow. The green is reported to be in good order and a successful season is anticipated.

Rowing Coming Back to Favour

Rowing will be ushered in for the season on Monday, when the Wairoa Boating Club will hold a series of Opening Day Fours. This sport has undergone a very lean period of recent years, but this year it has been revived and keen interest is being shown, with the result that it is thought that the 1939-40 season will be equal to some of the magnificent seasons experienced in the halycon days of the sport in the district. The success of the recent “learn to row week” is apparent in the number of entries received for the opening day fours, nine crews being nominated. The action of the East Coast Rowing Association in allocating the L.V.A. Shield to Wairoa this season also lias served to reawaken interest in rowing. Interest in Cricket

Keen interest is being evinced in the opening of the cricket season, scheduled for Saturday week. There is no doubt that the decision reached last vear to play Saturday cricket had the effect of creating a wider interest in the sport and last season was definitely the best ever experienced by the game in Wairoa. Practices have been started by the various clubs, all of which are stronger than last season.

Excellent work has been done on the Recreation Ground by the Borough Council and a marked improvement is evident in the wickets and outfields. It is not yet definite how many teams will be taking part in the competition, but it is thought that there will be five, the same number ns last season. A doubtful entrant in the Hopper Shield series is tlie Frasertown eleven but, in the event of the withdrawal of this team there are prospects that a team will be entered by players representing retail interests’ in the borough. Nominations received to date. are:—Rovers, Nomads, Swifts and High School. Tennis enthusiasts already are playing on private courts, but the opening date for the season in the district has not yet been fixed. The majority of the courts arc in first class order and it is apparent that they will be called upon to stand up to a hard season’s play.

Progress of Athletics

Formed only last year, the Wairoa Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club has shown remarkable progress. The membership this year will be very strong and the season should be a very good one. The season will open on the evening of the second Wednesday in November, when a scratch meeting is to be held. It is proposed to bold fortnightly meetings and also to endeavour to arrange interclub meetings. A meeting such as this, held last year, was an outstanding success and gave the club a splendid start. Facilities for competitors and spectators alike will be improved at the Lambton Square ground. With a. view to fostering the sport in the right quarters it is intended to hold junior field events this season and also to cater more fully for lady competitors. The desire of the youth of the district to take part in a sport which oilers every facility for keeping • fit is reflected in the increased membership of tiie club, the activities of which were very evident during the Rugby season, when it was easily distinguishable which players took part in track events during the summer months. Summer sports will definitely carry on. the value of healthy exercise and relaxation from the cares of business and the nervous tension of the times making The necessity to carry on vital.