YACHTS AND MOTOR BOATS.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 63

YACHTS AND MOTOR BOATS.

ANNUAL SOCIAL OF THE CLUB

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES

Last Thursday, in the Waratah tearooms, there was a very large gathering of gentlemen interested in yachts and motor boats. The occasion was the annual smoke concert of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Club, in connection with which it is customary for the ceremony of presenting the season's prizes to take place. The commodore of the club.(Mr A. C. Hanlon) was chairman, and the proceedings wate remarkable for the utmost good feeling and jollity. The Chairman, at the commencement of the proceedings, said that the (past season had been probably the most "successful the club had ever had. There had been two ocean races for yachts and one for motor boats, and also one for motor boats in the harbour. The prize for the first ocean yacht race was the Rudder Cup. On the first occasion when this race started' the weather was -so bad that most of the yachts came to grief. Some reference would be made during the evening to the excellent conduct of certain members of the club on that occasion, and to one gentleman in particular a presentation would be made. The race was got off later on, and resulted in a win for the lorangi, with the Carina second. The club was indebted to Mr Fleming Day, of New' York, for his kindness in giving this very handsome trophy—a very valuable cup indeed. The next ocean race, for the Hudson Cup (to Oamaru), was won by the Thelma, and the motor boat race to Oamaru for the M'Culloch Cup was won by the Pacific. Lastly, there had been offered the Hislop Cup, for a motor boat -ace of 30 miles round the harbour, won by the Kelvin. The prizes were, then presented as under:— lorangi (Wall and C0.).-Rudder Cup (presented by Mr F. Fleming Day, of New York, valued at 50 guineas); third in Port Chalmers race. Tucana (Bolt and Co.). —Championship medal (by Messrs Dawson); and third jprizes in first, second, and third first-class races. Carina (Robertson and Co.).—Second prize, Rudder Cup; first in club race; second in club race; third in club race. Thelma (A. Knewstubb).—-Hudson Cup (Otago Heads to Oamaru); first prize firstclass yacht race. Pacific (motor launch, J. MacPherson). — M'Culloch Cup (Heads to Oamaru). Matua (G. C. .Maltby).—Millar Cup (first in second first-class club race); second m Port Chalmers race. Roma (Howard Dodgshun).—First in third first-class club race. Waimana (Webber and Co.).—Second prize in. first first-class club race; second prize in second first-class club race. Vaoiahotid (.T. Moulin).—First prize in second-class yacht race. Redwing (F. Goodwin).—First in first, second, and third third-class club races. Rum (Taylor and Co.).—Second in second third-class club race. Iris (Sell Bros.).—First in first and second unballasted races. Ventura (Moore and Co.).—Second in! second unballasted race. Irex (F. Leach and Co.).—First in third unballasted club race. Pastime (Kennedy Bros.).—First in first and second cruisers' faces. Mvrtfe (A. Morgan) .—First in third cruisers' race, and second in second race. Pera (Hanlon Bros).—Second in third cruisers' nee. First Motor Race.—Gertie (J. Waters,, 1; Query (Partell Bros.), 2; Mafcai (J. Johnston), 3. Second Motor Race.—Kaituna (W. H Welbourne), 1; Pacific (J. MacPherson), 2; Waterwitoh (J. Marshall), 3. Third Motor Race.—Water witch 1, Huana (C. Reynolds), 2; Query (Partell Bros.), During the prize-giving ceremony the Hon. J. A. Millar visited the gathering, and was greeted with cheers and " He's a jollv good fellow." In proposing the toast of "The Prize-winners," and in the course of some very hapjpy remarks, he said that men, to be prize-winners, must be true sports. Yachting was a clean sport. Into it professionalism had never crept, as it had crept into other sports, and, so far as the Otago Club was concerned, he did not think it ever would. He would to see yachting competitions so extended as to have a meeting of champions to contest the championship of New Zealand.— (Applause.) The Otago harbour was certainly handicapped as compared with Auckland, on which, on half-holidays, it was common to see 150 or so yachts flitting away to the islands, and where they might see yachting under almost perfect conditions. It would be necessary to remember, in the event of a contest, that Otago yachts were handicapped as compared with those of Auckland. Year by year a better class of yacht was being evolved, and for that reason he thought a championship competition -was becoming possible. It would do much to foster interest in yachting. He had watched with interest the result of the Ruddder Cvflp, and now wished to congratulate the winner—who had a good yacht, but must necessarily have bandied it well.—(Applause.) He congratulated Mr Maltby on winning his (MiMillar's) cup, and hoped it would be the forerunner of many successes. He would be only too pleased to give another cup for competition next year.—(Cheers.) He hoped that the club's forthcoming art union would result in the wiping off of the club's deficit. Before the Minister left the social the chairman asked him to convey to Sir Joseph Ward the club's thanks for the use of the Lady Roberts, defence steamer, which had been promptly and courteously placed at the service of the race officials whenever she was asked for. Many songs ?,nd recitations were contributed by yachtsmen and' visitors during the evening, and practically every item was well received and enthusiastically encored. Mr D. Cooke was accompanist.