ROWING JUBILEE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18545, 3 November 1934, Page 7

ROWING JUBILEE

P.B. CLUB REUNION LAST NIGHT’S GATHERING LONG SUSTAINED SUCCESS The long-sustained success of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club, and the attainment of the jnnileo anniversary ot the foundation of the club in 1884-85, were celebrated last evening by a gathering of past arid present oarsmen, and supporters, there being a sufficient number present to tax the accommodation at the Ereesia Lounge. The occasion was a most enjoyable one, and was rendered especially interesting by the presence of four ot the foundation members, the only survivors of the band of enthusiasts who were responsible for forming the club 50 years ago. The chair was taken by Mr. A. Kirk, president of the club, while Mr. James Webb, patron, carried out with marked success the duties of toastmaster. Many of the speakers indulged in reminiscences of the early days of rowing in this district, and the gathering was entertained by many sidelights on the more celebrated of the oarsmen produced by succeeding generations of the club membership. The toast of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club was proposed by the Mayor, Mr. John Jackson, who after expressing thanks for the invitation to lie present, remarked that he had never taken part in the sport of rowing. Looking upon soino of the founders of the club who were present, he felt that they furnished good evidence of the virility of the Anglo-Saxon race. AN ANGLO-SAXON SPORT Since 1815, said Mr. Jackson, the sport of rowing was taken up in England, and until comparatively recently, 85 per cent, of the men who followed the sport were of British stock. In the clubs such as Poverty Bay, continued Mr. Jackson, the sporting and amateur spirit was maintained and fostered. The foundations of the club bad been well and truly laid by men such as Mr. W. Fox and Mr. J. (1 Nisbett, and their own attendance, at this function, with all the appearance of health and sustained interest, was emblematic of the type of men. If the succeeding generation of oarsmen continued to build upon those foundations, there could be no question of the future success of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club. (Applause.' Th:) Mayor remarked further that l e had seen Mr. A. Kirk, the present president of the club, referred to as a “rugged oarsman.” He was not sure vhat that description implied in the world of rawing, but lie suspected that it meant that what Mr. Kirk lacked •in grace and stvle. Ire made up in muscular ability arid determination. (Laughter). He was sure that in no sport could theso qualities he more effectively displayed than in rowing, and he took occasion to congratulate the president noon having deserved such a description of his powers, and also upon his splendid record of sustained interest in the club. (Applause). OLD-TIME ENTHUSIASM Replying to the toast, Mr. Kirk mentioned that he had received from many old members and sympathisers apologies or unavoidable absence, the apologies being accompanied by wishes for a happy evening, and many more successful years for the club. Mr. Kirk referred to the presence of the four surviving foundation members, and-also of Mr. A. Sawyer, who was practically one of the. foundation members. The president commented with deep satisfaction upon the continued existence of the club, and mentioned a number of creditable and interesting incidents in the history of the club, of which, he stated incidentally, 'Mr. J. Webb had been captain and he himself had been secretary for 12 years in succession. (Applause.) The building of the new shed, in 1910, was carried out with an expenditure of only £ll in wages, the labor and material all being contributed by members and sympathisers of the club. Mr. Kirk amused the gathering with entertaining references to the rivalries of other days, and declared his conviction Mutt the club was entering on another 50 years of successful activity. The toast of- the New Zealand Rowing Council and the East Coast Rowing Association was entrusted to Air. .Tames Webb, who congratulated the clubs of this district upon the excellent representation they enjoyed in the executive of the East Coast' association. Nowhere in New Zealand, bn thought, would be found a more capable district body. Of the New Zealand council, Mr. Webb mentioned that it had given sound encouragement and support to the district association, and rliiefly by the gift of an eight-oar boat, the launching of which he hoped would mark the opening of a new era in rowing in the district. “FIT TO RACE THE BEST” My. Webb declared his conviction that the district possessed, or could develop, men capable of building up a crew fit to take its place on favorable terms with the representatives of other provinces. He had no doubt that once the eight is on the water, the public of Gisborne would show greater interest, and would not stint support to send crews to the outside regattas, where the oarsmen would meet the best in the Dominion. Mr. Webb added a word on the prospects of the New Zealand eight in today’s race at Melbourne, which lie believed to be quite bright. He closed with a brief reference to the sporting spirit of rowing, his remarks being greeted with applause and the toast being honored with enthusiasm. “It gives me great pclasurc, on behalf of the East Coast Association and the New Zealand Council, to congratulate the Poverty Bay club on having attained its jubilee year,’’ slated Mr. G. If. Sc eat a, replying to ihe toast. Mr. Scouts pointed out that the sport of rowing was fortunate in having tho interest of the older veterans of the clubs, such as the leading officers of tho Poverty Bay club and also Mr. C. W. Muir, Gisborno Rowing Club’s president. The clubs were not alone in that enjoyment, for it was worth remembering that Mr. A. D. Bayfield secretary of the New Zealand Rowing Council, had held' that post for JO years. Mr. Sceats added some jocular remarks on the advent of the eightoared boat, and informed the gathering that it was proposed by the East Coast Association to put the boat in the water for the first time on the day of the visit to Gisborne of the Duke of Gloucester. Mr. Sceats closed with an expression of hopo that the Poverty Bay club would continue as successfully as in tho past, and that many of those present would survive to celebrate the centenary of tho club. (Applause.)

LAST SEASON'S IKOPIUIiS Tho presentation of trophies won by members of the Poverty Bay club during last season was carried out by the Mayor, who complimented the, oarsmen and wished them many further successes. The senior active oarsman of the Poverty Bay club, Mr. R. J. Patty, proposed briefly the health of past and present oarsmen, expressing his pleasure at being present and in being asked to propose the toast. lie coupled with the toast the names of Mr. J. C. Nisbett and others of the early members of the dub present. An attentive hearing was given Mr. Nisbett. who took occasion to mention that the first boats bought by the club were purchased not from George Norton, as had been stated in the Herald, but from Edwards in Melbourne, at a- eost ol £B6 10s Bd. Mr. Nesbitt mentioned also that the first race in the history of the club was against, a secondary crew from the Gisborne club, the race being won by the Poverty Bay crew. When a month later the Poverty Bay crew met the senior representatives of the Gisborne club, the .latter proved the better, and won a hard race well. Mr. Nisbett recalled many interesting incidents of the early days of the club, and then suggested that Mr, W. Eox. the first stroke of the Poverty Bay club, should “carry on.” FIRST) VISIT' TOi NAPIER

Mr. Fox was greeted with warm applause, and was as interesting as MrNisbett in his reminiscences of the sport between 40 and 50 years ago. He described, the first visit of a. Poverty Bay crew to Napier, and its success there, and also mentioned that on the return of that crew, Hr. G. L. Sunderland guaranteed the cost of secuning two good boats from Edwards, of Melbourne, the first boats actually built for tho Poverty Bay club. Mr. Arthur Sawyer, another noted stroke of tho early days, expressed his conviction that good as the men may have been in those days, there were as good men to-day, and ho hoped that they were getting the same pleasure out of the sport as he and his contemporaries in the club had done.

Mr. J. O’Neill proposed, briefly, the toast, of sister rowing clubs and kindred sports. Messrs. C. W. Muir, 11. Linstrom and tv. R. Waite replied to the toast, thanking the club for its entertainment, and for the honor done to their respective organisations. All three warmly expressed the hope that the club would progress an the future even more successfully than in the past. They conveyed, ‘on behalf of their respective organisations,"Congratulations upon the attainment of the club’s jubilee. The final toast was that of the entertainers and the press, the chairman expressing tho indebtedness of the club and oarsmen generally to the newspapers, and to those who had contributed to the programme. Contributors to the programme comprised Messrs. Athol and Rees Allan, A. Williamson, W. Bignall, and Wilfrid Kolm, the last-mentioned acting as accompanist.