AQUATICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 719, 11 December 1885, Page 15

AQUATICS.

STAR BOATING CLUB. ♦ THE NEW BUILDING. The nineteenth annual meeting of the Star Boating Club was held at the Pier Hotel on the 6th of October. The printed list showed that there were six life members, eleven honorary members, and 177 active members (of whom 40 joined during the year) belonging to the Club. The assets were set down at £1823, the estimate of the value of the Club sheds and plant being £I2OO. There was £6OO on deposit to the credit of the building fund account, a balance in Bank of £l3 15s 4d, and unpaid subscriptions due (after deducting £4 5s for bad and doubtful) £9 6s. The only liability was £lO, which was to be expended in the purchase of Club plate. There were 29 boats belonging to the Club, six of which had been added during the year, at a cost of £225 143 7d—not a bad result for the time the Club has been in existence. It was stated that tbe £6OO to • tbe credit of the building fiund bad been saved in four years, and it was decided to issue £IOOO worth of debentures, bearing interest at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum, amongst the members, in order that tenders might be called for reclaiming a site granted to the Club by the City Council, and for the purpose of erecting a suitable buildiug. The debentures were considered such good investments that over £ISOO worth were applied for in a very short time after they were offered to the members. That enabled the Committee to make arrangements with Mr J. Saunders for the reclamation at a cost

of £4OO to £SOO, Mr Sannders undertaking to carry oat the work, which is to in January, at as little cost as possible. Mr W . C. Chatfield was soon afterward entrusted with the preparation of tbe plans for the new building. These are now completed, and tenders will be called for immediately. Glancing at the plans, the building presents a very neat appearance, and it is doubtful if many Rowing Clubs in the Southern Hemisphere will be able to boast of more commodious or finer buildings than tbe one which the Star Boating Club is about to erect. A short description will therefore not be out of place. The building will be erected on a piece of ground outside tbe present line of reclamation, almost in a line with the premises for many years occupied by .Messrs Krull and Co., general merchants. The. shed will be built on sleepers, which are to be laid parallel with the plates, so that it can be easily removed at any time, as permission to reclaim the land was only granted on condition that it should be given up to the Corporation if required, the cost of the reclamation to be refunded to the Club in that case. The shed, which will be 100 ft long and 50ft wide, will be divided into seven bays for boats. The side facing the sea will have seven large openings Bft wide, with sliding doors. There will be an entrance for members and visitors, from one of the new streets, from which a staircase will lead to a passage 10ft x 49ft, on the first floor. At the other end of the landing a doorway leads on to the balcony sft wide, which overlooks the sea, and runs along the whole lepgth of the building. On the ground floor there will be a bathroom, 10ft 6in x 3ft, fitted with a plunge and two shower-baths, and with a grated floorng over a zinc one, which will have a fall toward a drain. From the lobby outside the bathroem there is another staircase leading to the dressing-room, for the use of members only. There are lavatories and lantrines at the end of the shed, secluded from the main building. A portion of the ground floor of the shed, for a width of 10ft, has a fall toward the large doors of about 4in, so as to facilitate the draining and washing of the boats. The dressing-room, which is on the first floor, will be a spacious apartment, 44ft x 48 ft, fitted with lockers for 200 members, and 50 more can be added when required. The Club-room is also spacious, being 44ft x 24ft ; whilst the com-mittee-room is 18ft 6in x 13ft, and the, glove and single-stick exercise-room 24ft x 30ft. A portion of the latter is to be used for spare spars and rigging, which can be taken up from the outside through a doorway at the northern end. The building will be lit with gas, and everything will be done to make it comfortable and attractive for members. The inside of the boating shed will be fitted up on the latest principle, and according to the most approved plans in vogue in the best sheds in England. The centre elevation will be 30ft from the street, and the sides 23 ft, whilst the top of the flagpost will ascend 16ft higher than the central elevation. The members of the Star Boating Club have entered on a plucky undertaking, but for the success of which there need be no fears whatever. Their self-reliant policy is deserving of every commendation. It is expected that the new building will be completed by the end of April.