AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 707, 24 September 1903, Page 14

AQUATICS

(By “ The Reefer.’"'

A very large amount of work is going forward at the Auckland yards. While having a look round during the week I noticed that Logan Bros, have a number of oil launches under construction. There is an open pleasure launch for Mr W. Whitley. She has the new torpedo stern, which is now becoming so popular, and will be fitted with a 10 h.p. Union engine. A 30-feet cabin launch of 5 h.p. for Mr Barris, of Picton, is nearly completed, and will soon be ready for launching. The 26-feet launch for Mr Newton King, of New Plymouth, which will have a 4 h.p. Union engine, is also well advanced. A 25-feet fast cruiser for Mr Kirker, of Ponsonby, will be put in hand immediately. * * * * Charles Bailey, junr., is steadily pushing on with Sir Rupert Clarke’s new schooner. The planking and decking has been finished, and the fittings are now being places in position. She will be ready for launching early in November. Bailey has also a lot of work in hand for the Tyser liner Niwaru. ♦ * * * Bailey and Lowe’s yard presents a very busy spectacle, a lot of work going on. Mr S. Milne’s 23-feet launch, If-h.p. oil launch, Patete, has just been completed. A fast launch for Mr Hadley is being pushed on with. She will have an engine of 15 h.p/ which should make her one of the speediest in the Waitemata. The firm are well forward with the 22-feet ocean cruiser in which Mr Buckeridge proposes to round the Horn. She is being built at North Shore. Two 26-feet fast cruisers are on order.

The annual meeting of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, on Thuesday evening, was very largely attended by members!, the contesit for seats on the committee no doubt accounting in part for the great interest displayed by members.

The balance-sheet, which was adopted, showed that the receipts for the year had been (including balance from last year of £44 Os 4d) £4lB 14s iod, and the expenditure £406 13s id, the balance carried forward being £l2 is 9d. The assets were £285 12s 4d, and liabilities £5 19s. The election of officers resulted as follows Commodore, Mr C. P. Murdoch : vice-commodore, Mr J. R. Gray, B inr - • rear-commodore, Mr H. ,R. Bloomfield ; hon. secretary, Mr P. H. Colb; hon. treasurer, Mr R. S. Reynolds ; hon. auditors, Messrs T. F. Wallace and Malcolm Wiseman : committee, Messrs A. Alison, J. Alexander, A. W. Chatfield, E. V. Miller, R. R. Masefield, P. F. Battley, F. W. Coombes, H. Haines, J. C. Hardie andF. M. Jervis.

Recipients of a presentation generally glean beforehand when anything of the kind is toward, but I fancy Commodore Murdoch got a genuine surprise when Mr P. F. Battley, on behalf of the technical classes inaugurated by the club during the past season, presented to him a spirit compass, with a suitable inscription, as a token of the esteem of the members and a slight recognition of the interest Mr [Murdoch had taken in the class, and the time he had expended in imparting to the members the necessary instruction. Mrs Murdoch also received a diamond brooch from the same donors.

The question as to whether a boat builder should sail a boat in a club race again cropped up, and was very warmly discussed. To my mind the logical position is that if the club admits builders as l members they should be entitled to the privileges of members 1 , but if the club do not desire the builders to handle boats then they should not be admitted as members. However, a two to one majority thought otherwise, so there is> evidently a flaw in my line of argument which at present I am unable to see.

The executive of the Auckland Rowing Association are not unnaturally indignant at the Anniversary Regatta Committee not putting any event on the programme for amateur oarsmen. They think that instead of wasting £lOO on a whaleboat race the money would have been better expended on a number of rowing events. It is possible that a rowing regatta may take place at Mercer in lieu of the usnal one at the Annivetsary Regatta.

At the annual meeting of the Ponsonby Cruising Club the following officers were elected : —Commodore, Mr S. Levy ; vice- < ommodore, Mr W. Wilson ; rear-commo-dore, Mr E. Message ; treasurer, Mr F. Blomfield; secretary, Mr A. Thompson ; committee, Messrs T. Thompson, F. Murrell, F. Kunst, J. Hawkins, B. Cooke, H. Johnson, T. Dickson, W. Bettany, A. Hewson, S. W. Buck, D. Paterson. The hon. secretary was presented with a handsome gold chain and pendant for his past services. The retiring Commodore was elected a life member.