ROWING.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 306, 30 December 1909, Page 5

ROWING.

JACKSON'S SUSPENSION.

AN APPEAL.

As was announced on..Tuesday, thaißlenherret Rowiujfc Cln& has lodge*'an appeal against the suspension of J^ ■ M. Jackson, stroke of the ex-cham-pion four crew, by the council of tn« New Zealand Rowing Association. Tha club also intends that*tfackson'Shall row at the Picten and Champjonsliifli regattas: under protest, as it cott* siders that there can be no .justifica* I tion f6r the action of the Council, lbe^ 'cause Jacksan has in no wayde- ; liberately infringed his amateur. • status. A great many of the oarsmen who have been selected to cora-«, .pete at the.Chanjpwnsfhi.p and Pictoi^ regattas are disgusted with the aetioii of the Council, and the opinion has) been freely expressed that vindictive? ness has been the cause of Jackson'jl suspension. There appears to be. alii great deal of -truth' in - that ass srxioßhj and it is regrettable to state that in ' Maiiborough there are to be fourin those who, while if they practise* rowing from now until "doomsdajr'l would nevef be able to row, are'stiflt the first to stir up strife, without tha slightest cause. . , t -,& Shortly after Jackson's suspensj9« • was announced, it was whispered tha^ the Picton senior foiuv,.had had som€K thing to do with it, and that tfteii stroke (C. Perano). in particular hac| taken a prominent part in the mat*: ter. Upon- inquiries being made^. however, it was, ascertained, that th« rumour did not contain tne slightest degree of truth, and had' no founder*", tion whatever. A member of th«* Blenheim Rowing Club's comnuttedt was informed by a prominent Pieto* resident who 'is., interested, in towing that the allegation; against ■Jacksoi*. was first brought before the. Rowing Council by the Picton Rowing Club,' who had written repeatedly urging his disqiialification. The persistenoy* 'with' which that' club ;kept up the cry that Jackson was not an amateur led the, Council to suspend him. It, has already beeii pointed but thafcJackson was ignorant of the fact th^ftr he had received a loan from the Blea* heim Rowing; Club',; and if any^hingr $%§ blph'J:sliatil&:^&f&*J)&e& stisgendedtf ■ ijii^iEa&fr'of ■Jac&s6»i--v-|n.;'ariy'{carse,7Bo*l- • fore any, stringewt^action.■ wKs take^. v •ail inquiry^ should nave been, heldj aiid^, those ■- who preferred the eharg'^ against Jackson should ; -have "Heeiii called upon to prove it. The Conn--, cil would have been acting: in _a faiirand sportsmanlike manner had it pur-» oued that course in place of one whicli is repugnant to all" well-wishers of a clean and healthy sport, and which bj| no means <redormds to the credit of a. body supposed to be composed of" -broadminded and intelligent men. Tharesult of theihearing of the ;Blen^ heim Rowing_ Club's appeal will bdawaited with interest, and the wish o€ every true sport is that jealousy and), vindictiveness will be swept td»; ? p ' m--— —j —— ■ ■•. - .•