MELBOURNE REGATTA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20098, 8 November 1928, Page 12

MELBOURNE REGATTA.

MARRED BY WEATHER.

NEW ZEALANDERS' WIN t -

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY, Nov. 1.

The Henley regatta and the Melbourne Cup! One can thrill a true Victorian by the bare mention of either of these great sporting events. '1 his year the usual preparations were made for the roCiitta, and the usual excitement was in evidence. Then, on the day of the carnival, last Saturday, the weather took an unkind turn, and instead of an attendance of 200,000 which the committee had hoped for there wore but 36,000 people present. The committee thus faces a loss of 11000, instead of a substantial profit. It was the best "Henley" that the committee had organised, so it was no wonder that they wore downcast. There were record entries for all the events, and every contingency was provided for except the one over which there was no control possible. Only one thing consoled the committee and that was tho loyalty of the competitors, who, despite the bitterly cold southerly blow, turned out in full force and provided great spoil. There was also the fact that those who visited the carnival enjoyed themselves thoroughly, or at least made a convincing pretence of doing so. Guests on the five house-boats did their best to stop their teeth from chattering and look happy, and tho gallant lifesavers wore rugs over their costumes and prayod that nobody would bo so inconsiderate as to dcrautvl that they should leap to rescue in the swollen, icy river.

As it turned out the livcsavcrs were called upon only once. A woman stepped from :i landing stugo into a punt—at least that was her intention. The punt, in the playful way that punts have, slid from under her loot, and she fell into tlio river. Her escort, trying to lift her nut, foil in too, and the lifesaveid were called upon to rescue both. The only oilier untoward incident was when a launch caught on lire owing lo the backfiring of the engine. The flames were quickly extinguished and no ono was injured. In other circumstances tho racing would Have created a great deal of excitement, hut as matters were the people were glad when it was all over. The only event in which New Zealand was represented was the .Stewards' Challenge Cup tor senior fours The trophy was held by the Waitemata Club, Auckland, which did not defend its title. Instead a team from the Union Boat Club, Wanganui, came across to represent I lie Dominion, and did so in a worthy manner. "Australia has some reason to remember tho prowess of New Zealand scullers, and Victoria realises that it will ha\e to produce an exceptional crew if it is to regain tin; cup Wanganui, like Waitcmata and Otago, who have hoth won at Henley, had the same steady recovery, nnd when i' got hold of the water, the legs went on and the stroke was driven hard through. It was a very finished display.that they gave, both in the heat and in the final The superiority of the New Zealand crew was never in doubt and thev held their opponents with «-ho utmost ease