POWER-BOAT ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19452, 7 October 1926, Page 12

POWER-BOAT ASSOCIATION.

SEASON'S BRIGHT PROSPECTS

RACES FOR SPEED BOATS

The twenty-first annual meeting of the New Zealand Power-boat Association was held last evening, the commodore, Mr. C. H. T. Palmer, presiding over a fair attendance of members^ In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, a summary of which has already appeared in the Herald, the commodore said that for some time past it had been felt that something more than the usual races for cruisers was required. The committee finally entered upon a most ambitious racing programme for and he was pleased to say they had met with a certain amount of success. The owners of speed-boats were not wealthy men and could not afford lo build without worrying about the cost of their boats. The association recognised the great interest in motor-boat racing lay in the speed-boat events, and in an effort to arrive at some suitable classification of such craft had held a number of special meetings, which were attended by all -owners of speed craft in Auckland. Out of these meetings a decision had been made to encourage three classes of craft:—(a) Unrestricted both as to hull and engine; (b) unrestricted as to hull but piston displacement of engine not to exceed 510 cubic inches; (c) unrestricted as to hull, but piston displacement of engine not to exceed 300 cubic incites. This season the race for tKe Masport Cup would be held at Wanganui on January 22, and Mr. Hat-rick was going to make every effort to retain the trophy. The prospects for the coming season were very bright and he looked forward to some excellent racing among the speedboats. For the challenge trophy presented by Messrs. Walker and Hall, entries were expected to come from Russell and Whangarei.

The election of officers resulted:— Patron, Mr. H. R. Mackenzie; vicepatrons, the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, Sir .Tames Gunson, Sir James Parr, Capt. 11. H. Sergeant, Mr. W. B. Leyland and the Minister of Marine, the Hon. G. J. Anderson; commodore, Mr. C. H. T. Palmer; vice-commodore, Mr. ("'. .T, Collings; rear-commodore, Mr. H. O. Wiles; lion, treasurer, Mr. A. M. Wilson; lion, secretary, Mr. A. J. Collings; general committee, Messrs. S. H. Levland, J. Lloyd, L. Schischka. A. ,T. Williams, A. Macdonald, E. L. Buchanan, S. BellBooth, T. Conner, G. P. Robert-son, F. B. Cadman and M. W. Lane; club trustees, Messrs. A. Burt, A. G. Lunn, M. W. Lane, and E. Le Bov; hon. solicitor, Alt-. ,T. Alexander; auditor, Mr. C. K. P' Audnev. Colonel W. B. White, who was one of the founders of the association, was elected n life member. The chairman staled Colonel White had rendered the association very valuable service and it was through his efforts that the association became the owners of the Masport Cup. At the conclusion of the meeting a very interesting W-ture on "'Marine Engines, Their Troubles and Remedies," was delivered by Mr. G P. Robertson.