SYMPATHY SHOWN

Southland Times, Issue 22487, 23 January 1935, Page 7

SYMPATHY SHOWN

ROWING CLUB’S LOSS LEASE OF SHED SOUGHT REQUEST GRANTED A sympathetic attitude was shown by City Councillors last night when a deputation from the Invercargill Railway Rowing Club, consisting of Messrs G. Munro (president), Gordon Webb and S. Shepherd, waited upon them in support of a written application for the lease of a shed to house their skiffs. “My club are desirous of having the use of the centre shed on the Tweed street wharf for the purpose of housing our rowing skiffs,” wrote the secretary of the club. “We have had the misfortune to have our boat sheds destroyed by the recent tidal floods which has caused us a very heavy expense, and now we have to make arrangements for suitable housing of our valuable boats. Owing to the suddenness of our misfortune we are not at present certain of our future arrangements, and desire to lease the building for a term of twelve months, with the option of renewing same for a further term. At present this shed is not in use. nor has it been so for a few years. The revenue which you would derive from our club would be a welcome one to your committee. We also require permission to build a skid-way into the channel on the town north side of the bridge, so as to give us access to the water at all times. As our club comprises mostly of young men, it is a big expenditure which we are faced with and I am sure your committee will give us every helping hand to put our club on a sound footing as regards our request in the housing of our boats.” The City Engineer (Mr F. M. Corkill) reported (inter alia) as follows upon the request: “The application is apparently for the south shed on the wharf, in which the club at present has its boats. One of these sheds was formerly quoted at £2 10/- per week, plus insurance. This latter is important. Before leasing to the present applicants, however, it would be as well to point out to the committee that this club undertook , a lease of land at the Oreti River, put in concrete foundations and then left them there. As regards the skids above the bridge, I strongly recommend that this should not be allowed. The presence of any obstruction will tend to deflect the current and so to nullify the effect of the dredging of the new channel. No traffic whatever should be allowed on the new stone wall, which would be certain to be damaged if skids were permitted there.” Deputation’s Remarks. Mr Munro, the first speaker, explained that the club had had the misfortune to lose its rowing shed owing to the recent phenomenal high tide. That had placed the club in a very awkward position as the building was now a complete wreck and of no further use. The club at present waa without a shed to house the boats which were very valuable. In fact, they were insured for some £BOO. The club committee had no prospects of erecting a new building in the meantime owing to a lack of finance. “We seek a temporary lease of one of the sheds at the wharf, and also permission to erect a skidway adjacent to the building so that we can obtain access to the water,’ added Mr Munro. “We desire a covering at present for the boats and seek a 16 months’ lease.” Councillor Doig: How many boats have you? Mr Munro: There are 14, and in our possession at present is the Southland eight-oared boat. The representative crew in that forthcoming race have been chosen entirely from the Railway shed. This particular boat has to be very carefully housed. “Rowing is a splendid sport and plays an important part in keeping young men fit,” said Mr Webb. The Council had, of their charity, aided other sports, such as football, and the members of the Railway Rowing Club, in their turn, were looking to the Council to help them in their hour of trial. It was hoped, in the meantime, to raise money to finance the building of a new shed.

The view that a clean sport such as rowing should be encouraged, was expressed by Mr Shepherd. There were a fine crowd of young men in the club, he said, and they needed some building to keep the very frail rowing boats under care.

The Mayor (to the deputation): It is not likely that the council would let you put skids in any position that might tend to divert the current The deputation then withdrew. Council Discussion.

Councillor C. B. Tapley said he thought the council should be sympathetic with the club in their disaster and give them the lease sought. It was just a question of what rent should be paid. The rowers could not pay £2 10/a week, but they had not suggested what the council should charge. He then moved that a lease of the south shed should be granted from month to month at the pleasure of the council, a special condition to be that the building be insured by the club to the full insurable value. Councillor J. H. Tattersfield: I second that motion. I am very sympathetic and I think it would be a very graceful act on our part to give the young men every encouragement in their sport.

The motion was carried and it was left to a committee consisting of the Mayor, the chairman of the Finance Committee (Councillor H. Ritchie), and the engineer, with power to act, to consider the question of permitting a skidway. Councillor Ritchie expressed the view that a skidway would not deflect the current and a shed without skids, he said, would be almost useless to the club.