ROWING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20315, 25 January 1928, Page 5

ROWING.

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the Otago Rowing Association was held on,Monday evening. Mr E. V. Fairbairn presided. It was decided to commence the eightoared races among the Upper and Lower Harbour clubs on Monday evening next. The races will be rowed on a mile and ahalf course. Messrs Priest, W. J. Wilson, and J. Smeaton were appointed to watch the races, and select the Otago interprovincial eight-oared crew. It was decided to approve of the rowing of youths’ and maiden four races at the St. ‘ Leonards and Burkes regatta on February 4, these races to be rowed over a measured mile course. Mr E. V. Fairbairn was appointed as starter and umpire and as representative of the New Zealand Rowing Association. Messrs Lysaght, Glengarry, and Duncan were appointed as judges. It was decided to approve of the programme of races for the Port Chalmers regatta, to be held on February 25. The events will be rowed in the following order; —Youths’ fours, junior double sculls, maiden fours, youths’ double sculls, senior fours, maiden double sculls, junior fours, and youths’ pair-oar race. All the races will be over a mile course. The following officials were appointed for the regatta Starter, Mr Lysaght; umpire, Mr M. H. Priest; judges—Messrs P. J. Priest, W. Glengarry, and J. Smeaton. The matter of fixing the date of the association’s regatta, was held over until next meeting. A letter from the New Zealand Association advised that the championship regatta was to be held at Wanganui on March 3, and the championship eight-oar races at Wellington on March 24. The following Selection Committee had been appointed : —Messrs H. Ayres, W. Sharpe, A. M. Hales, E. S. Lines, and A. D. Bayfield.

SELECTION OF OLYMPIC CREW. Mr W. J. Wilson entered a strong protest against the omission of an Otago representative from the Selection Committee of the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association appointed for the purpose of selecting a New Zealand crew for the Olympic Games. The question arose through the receipt of a letter from the New Zealand Association asking that the names of oarsmen in the Otago district whose form was considered to be up to representative standard should be forwarded to Wellington before January 31. It was proposed that the selectors Should be present at the championship regatta at Wanganui and at the championship eights at Wellington with a view to seeing the men in action, and later submitting to the Olympic Council the names of those they considered should comprise the New Zealand crew for Amsterdam. Occupation, age, and weight of each man should be sent.

Mr Wilson said that some consideration should have been extended to Otago. The Otago Association should have a place on the Selection Committee. The association appeared to have been ignored altogether. Otago had produced oarsmen quite as good as any in New Zealand in the past few years, and now this province appeared to have been slighted by the controlling authorities in the north. The Chairman said the Selection Committee had evidently been picked from the executive of the New Zealand Rowing Association. The Otago Association had been advised that the crew would require to leave the Dominion on April 28, and that five weeks’ practice was desired before it left.

Mr Wilson said the rowing authorities of the Olympic Games would be very strict on the question af amateur status. Only travelling expenses would bo allowed.

The Chairman said that the New Zealand Olympic crew should have been picked in the same way as the New Zealand Rugby team for South Africa. Mr Wilson asked if there was anyone on the Selection Committee who would put forward the claims of men like Brough, M'Ara, and Werges, members of the Otago champion four. The Chairman said the Otago Association should let the authorities in Wellington know its opinion of the Selection Committee.

It was decided that Messrs M. H. Priest and W. J. Wilson should act as the Otago Selection Committee to forward nominations to Wellington. Mr Priest said that the Otago Association itself was in some measure to blame. It had been asked time after time to send a delegate to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Association, but the question of expense had always been the trouble. The Chairman said that that was no excuse for the Otago Association being ignored as regards the Olympic Selection Committee.

It was decided that a protest against the omission of an Otago representative from the Selecion Committee should be fonvarded to the New Zealand Association Council at Wellington.