AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 609, 25 September 1902, Page 8

AQUATICS

The annual meeting of the members! of the New Zealand Yacht Squadron was held in the clubrooms, Queen-street, on Tuesday, September 16. There was a very large attendance,- and considerable interest was taken in the proceedings. Mr C. P. Murdoch, commodore, presided. The annual report and the balance-sheet were unanimously adopted. V? * # # The balance-sheet shows that the receipts, including a balance of £79 16s . lOd from last year, were £364 16s Id, leaving a balance in hand of £44 Os 4d. The cost of fitting up the new rooms was £lOO 15s , 6d. The assets are valued at £259 19s 3d, whilst the liabilities are £8 18s 4d. * * * XThe chairman in his address stated that the clubrooms had been the means of adding largely to the club’s membership, and of bringing the members together. The membership was now 275. He also ■drew attention to the laxity of members when afloat in not flying the club’s flag or the burgee, and trusted that in the future more attention would be given to this important matter. Regarding the Royal warrant for which the club had applied through His Excellency the Governor, no reply had yet been received, but it was probable it would come to hand by the next mail. The following officers were elected lor the coming year : —Commodore, Mr C. P. Murdoch; vice-commodore, Mr R. R. Masefield; rear-commodore, Mr J. R. Gray, junr. ; committee, Messrs H. R. Bloomfield, E. V. Miller, F. IV. Wilson, A.,W. Chatfield, H, Haines, J. C. Hardie, J: IV. Winks, G. V. Edgecumbe, F. M. Jervis, and P. F. Battley ; hon. treasurer, Mr R. S. Reynolds; hon. secretary, Mr F. W. Coombes ; hon solicitor, Mr John Alexander; auditors, Messrs J. C. Webster and T. F. Wallace ; measurers, Captain Gibb and Mr A. Buchannan. The annual subscription was fixed at £1 Is for the ensuing year. The question of setting apart a portion of the club’s income for a reserve ’Thus “ Veteran ” in the London “ Sportsman ” : To those who saw with what scrupulous fairness J. RDeyermohd won the English TRo-mile Walking Championship at Huddersfield in 1901,. the news of his disqualification in the Mile Walk at the Royal Irish Constabulary sports at Dublin on August 4 must have , come as a sururise. D?yefmond’s time —6min 40 2-ssec —may, however, have been a bit too fast for him, although well within the compass of the present champion and ultimate winner, W. J. Sturgess. There is a vast difference in the style with some men between that shown when walking two miles and when only doing half the journey.” ' »• * * * S. A. Allen, Pennsylvania University, owing 14 yards, was beaten, off the mark, by E. IV. Gould, the Welsh champion, in a 120vds Hurdle Race, at Pontypridd, on August 4, Gould gaining his championship honors at Newport on the same day, beating the 'holder, Phillips, who, however, retained the Quarter-mile. At the same gathering the 100yds Welsh Championship was again won by K. Eundie whilst the Half-mile Championship of South iyaks fell to H. Prickett.

fund created considerable discussion, several motions being proposed and debated. It was finally resolved, “That a reserve fund be formed, and that an amount be allocated at the end of each financial year, which shall not be used for any other purpose except by a majority of* three-fourths of the members of the squadron.”

It was resolved that the title of the club shall be the New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Mr P. F. Battley moved, ‘‘That in rule 34 the words ‘but, for the purposes of this rule, a yacht or boat-builder shall not be classed as an amateur’ be deleted, and that instead thereof, the following words be inserted, ‘and every member entering a yacht for any squadron race, shall, in addition to other details required, supply the name of the intended helmsman.” This created a large amount of discussion but it was finally decided that the rule remain as at present.

The following alterations to rules were agreed to “That svb-sections to rule 29 be altered to read : (a) The subscription for year, which shall not be less than £1 Is, except in the case of members permanently residing beyond a radius of thirty-five miles from Auckland, . shall be fixed at the annual general meeting in September.” (a) “The subscription for members permanently residing beyond a radius of thirty.five miles from Auckland shall be one-ha*lf that of ordinary members. Any such member visiting - Auckland shall be entitled to the full privileges of the club, provided his residence in Auckland exceed that period he shall then take the status of an ordinary member.” It was resolved, “That the members of the squadron resident at each port of registry, in the colony shall 1. e entitled to elect an officer to be known as ‘ the port captain for ——, of the New Zealand Yacht Squadron.’ ” It was resolved, •“ That clause (a) of rule 2(1 be rescinded, and the following clause substituted :—(a) ‘ The name of every candidate for election shall be submitted to the General Committee for approval. Incase of approval by the committee the honorary secretary shall cause the name of the candidate, together with the names of the proposer and seconder, to be posted on the notice board for at le a »t seven days.. Failing any cause being shown to the contrary, the candidate shall then be balloted for, which balloting shall only take place at a general committee or general meeting.’” Hearty votes of thanks were passed to those patriotic members of the club who have donated furniture and other articles to the club rooms, to the press, and to the officers and committee for their past services to the club.

A number of Sydney rowing enthusiases are subscribing to send a tip-top “stump outrigger sculling boat to Mr F..S. Kelly, winner of the Diamond Sculls, at Henley, in recognition of his prowess ? and a hope that the Australian will again win it next year.

’the annual meeting of the Ponsonbv Regatta Club was held in the Ponsonbv Club Hotel last Thursday night. There was a full attendance,and Mr S. D. Hanna presided. The report presented congratulated the club on the success .of the last regatta, and the sound financial position. The donations showed a falling - off, and the report, emphasised the importance of a properly-organised scheme of canvassing for future regattas. The balance-sheet showed that the receipts, including balance from the 1902 regatta-(£29 Is sd), were £254 9s sd, and the expenditure £l9B Is 3d, leaving a balance in hand of £56 8s 2d. The estimated value of trophies presented was £52 8s 6d. The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted. It was decided to hold a regatta on a suitable elate. The Tollowing officers were elected for this year :—Patron, Mi - Thomas Peacock ; president, Mr James Kirker ; vi< e-presidents, the same as last year, with the addition of a large number of local gentlemen ; committee, Messrs R. R. Masefield, F. Stonex, S. 11 - . Buch, IV. Carter, S. D. Hanna, IV. H. Morpeth, R. Gray, C. F. Stichbury, J. E. Owen, J. Carder, R. Carder, R. B. Sceats, W. C. Somers, M. Keefe, J. Sims, J. Recman, IV. A. Reed, S. H. Leyland, A. Thompson, C. Jackson, W. IL. Cooke, H. Tattersail, R. Baxter, G. Stokes, F. Raynes, A. Hewson, D. IV. Dunlop, F. C. Stevenson, R. H. Bourke, J. Carrigan, A. Spencer, IV. A. Graham, J. Baxter, A. Braund, H. Gulliver, A. C. Cooke, C. McLeod, W. G. Mason, C. Collings, A. Court, M. Cossar, C. Thompstan, C. IVilsnn, H. Cossar, A. H. Bushy, D. Gallaher, S. Mitchell, L. Gannon, G. Main, R. Doull, S. Chatfield, J. Warren, A. Gillespie, and A. Conway ; hon. secretary, Mr George Stokes : hon. treasurer, Mr H. Gulliver ; auditors, Messrs J. Arneil and IV. C. Somers. It was decided that the committee meet each Wednesday evening to arrange tne details of the regatta.

Mr Wootwell sends me particulars of Dave Billing-ton, better known as “ Boy” Billington, who beat Lane in a Quarter-Mile race by 30 yards ; time, smin 35sec. He is eighteen years old, and last year won the 1000 Yards World’s Championship, and this year the 500 Yards, beating both Lane and Cavill. His father owns the swimming baths'at- Bacup, in Lancashire-, England. The fastest quarter-mile that has ever been done was by Jarvis, July 25, 1901, in the baths at Northampton ; time, smin 33 4-ssec.

The annual meeting of the Hauraki Rowing Club was held last week at Thames, Mr Thos. Somerville presiding. The report and balance-sheet submitted were both of a satisfactory character, the latter showing a credit balance. The officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows —Commodore, Mr A. M. Myers ; patron, the Hon. James McGowan ; president, Mr J. M. Foy ; vice-presidents, re-elected ; captain, to be appointed to inspect and report as to ville ; committee, Messrs Black, Mclntyre, Price, Jennings, Crosbie and Sawyers ; secretary and treasurer, Mr Thos. Mullins (re-elected) ; auditor, Mr T. Somerville. A sub-committee was apuointed to inspect and report as to overhauling the boats, etc. A general meeting will be held on October 2, to make arrangements as to the opening day, the election of captain, and other matters. Several new members were proposed, and there is every prospect of the coming season being a most successful one. Votes of thanks to the outgoing officers and chairman terminated the proceedings. * * * *

The annual meeeting of St. George’s Rowing Club wilf be held in tne Oddfellows’ Hall, -Parnell, on Thursday evening (to-night), when a large attendance is expected, as important business in connection with the club’s affairs will come up for consideration.