AN ATHLETIC JUBILEE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16893, 25 November 1925, Page 8

AN ATHLETIC JUBILEE.

GtSBO-BNT, BOWING GLI B’S 50 Y LAI’S.

S LETAINJfII) S U CCEfcjs

The occasion which past and present members of tin- Gisborne Rowing Club will celebrate this evening—the attain, ineiit of the Club’s jubilee—holds deep interest- not only for those directly connected with the Club, but for the community in general. The jubilee is the first celebrated by an athletic organisation in Gisborne, and the fact that many institutions affecting a, wider range of individuals have not yet attained the status of 50 years’ service, indicates how strongly tln> sport of rowing must, have appealed to the early settlers.

The Gisborne Rowing Club was formed in 1874, leading parts in the organ isation being taken by Messrs (’. 1). Berry and \V. King. These gentlemen were, at ( lie inaugural meeting, appoint ed captain and president respectively, with Mr F. G. Tiesse in the vole of lion, secretary. Of the foundation members, Mr YY. (). Sheet, now of Napier, but until recently of Gisborne, is believed to lie the only survivor, but of the oarsmen who passed through the club in the succeeding few years, many are still in (lie active pursuit- of business. These will remember, possibly with some hard feelings, the first boats procured by tin club.' These boats were in-rigged, and I lie scats were fixed, so that the labor of racing in them was vastly greater than that entailed in procuring the snnvspeed in (lie modern craft. “Colonist" and “Dolly Vardon” they were named, and in photographs preserved from the early days, tlicv figure prominently. U the boats' were much more ounibor,sonicIlian those now in use, the rowing conditions were morn favorable, in that- th" viicrs were much more open. Tinfirst shed—it could hardly he callefll a club-house, for it was merely to shelter the plant—was erected near the mouth of the river, adjacent, to the site of the present Harbor Board offices. The site now occupied by the club’s premises was not fixed upon until some years later, in tlie late 70’s. Possibly because in the heavy boats the risks of damage were lews, lint probably owing to the fact that the river was much more navigable, weekly Visits to the Hole-in-the-wall were frequently made, and photographs taken on these excursions will serve to recall to the veterans gathered’ at tonight’s function many figures which have long passed' from the community, by removal or death. It- lias been mentioned that- Mr W. King and Mr C. D. Berry were respectively president and captain in the first- place, and a perusal of such records as have survived Hie lire risks, which were not inconsiderable in the early days, is interesting. A list follows of ihe respective presidents and captains of the first twenty years in chronological order, and in as great detail as the state of the records allows: 1879—President, W. F. Crawford, Captain, IT. C. Boy lan. 1881— A. Graham and \Y. Ralcliffe. 1882— Allan MacDonald, M.TJ.IL, and E. M. Pavilt. 1883— Allan MacDonald, M.H.IL, and \Y. Ralcliffe. 1884— S. Locke, and W. Ratcliffe. 1886. S. Locke. M.H.R., and A. Barnes. 1887. —S. Locke, M.H.R., and A. Barnes. 1888-89—Dr. Pollen and Geo. Bourne. 1890—Capt, Winter and Geo. Bourne. •891-92-93-94.—D. Dougherty and W. Miller. 1895—1). Dougherty and W. J. Green. In 1896, Mv A. F. Kennedy accepted the presidency, which office ho held until his death. Mr A. D.' Robinson, in the same, year, commenced his unbroken term of six years’ office as captain. He was succeeded in 1902 by Mr Harold Symes, and since the latter’s resignation the post has changed hands several times. Prior lo the war, Messrs W. Johnson, Geo. Puflctt, R. V. Gully’, and J. S. Waucliop were successively captain, and since the resumption (ff lowing, after the close of hostilities, Messrs P. It. Ha-mil (on, L J. Quigley, 0. 0. Hansen and O- ft Jones have been appointed in turn. The presidency has changed hands only twice since 1896, the three hearers of the office heinir the late Mr A. F. Kennedy and Messrs C, Buscke and Wins. W. Muir An item of interest, in connection with the representation of the club in regatta racing is that a- member of the first representative crew boated by the G.R.C. was J. Carroll, whose achievements in politics have since gained him a- knighthood and n seat, in the Upper House.

lii the first quarter century of the club’s existence, regatta work was more frequenely available than now. for two strong clubs at Napier, as well as the Poverty Bay Club, which was formed some years after the G.R.C., provided keen competition; while there is on record at least one visit from the Auckland and St. George’s Chibs, on which occasion St. George’s won the senior and light-weight events, the Gisborne seniors beating Auckland. The visits to Hawke's Bay invariably insulted in keen racing, and Mr W. I tat - clitfe, in a recent letter to a member of the dub, relates bow in one instance the Gisborne crew broke a stretcher, and was hopelessly beaten. Mr Jtateliffe further states in his Idler that lie offered a trophy valued at £SO for a rerow, but that the offer was refused. Associated! with tho intcr-club rivalry was the competition for possession of a due weathervane, in the shape of a game-cock, which with successive repainting in the colors of the winning clubs, gradually attained an almost lifelike "breadth. Where the cock finally disappeared to seems to bo a mystery, although at one stage it was thought to be buried in the vicinity of one of the Hawke’s Bay Club’s premises. A tale is told of an expedition that slipped down to Napier, intent upon securing nossessioii of the trophy, but spent, a fruitless night of labor. Those were days when distractions were few, and when, into what are regarded as pastimes, a spirit of deadly efficiency was infused. Mvcn a cursory survey of the history of the club would be incomplete without reference to the manner in which the men then rowing took up the duty imposed on' them by the outbreak of war. Practically on masse, flic members volunteered for service, and a majority of them succeeded in meeting the high physical standards set in the fiisf year of (lie war. The club now possesses a. roll of honor bearing the names of those who served, and 1 the number of names included represents a remarkable iribute lo the loyally of (bo oarsmen, Tlmt the club bad many difficulties lo face during the years immediately following the war goes without saying. Practically the whole strength of the pre-war membership had been forced to give up the spent, and raw young material had to be broken not only to watermanship, but also to executive work. It was an experience common to nil athletic organisations at the time, and the club was fortunate in being,able to command for the chief executive jiosts men of experience and energy. The present strength of the club is largely due to the efforts of these gentlemen.