First Anniversary Regatta, 1842.

That journal says:—Saturday last being the anniversary of the arrival of His Excellency Governor Hobson a regatta was got up at a few hours' notice. The vessels in harbour hoisted their flags, and the day was very beautiful. About one o'clock guns were fired, which was a signal that His Excellency and suite were about to go on board the Government brig Victoria. At this time the river looked remarkably well, as there were a great number of boats and a quantity of canoes rowing in every direction. The harbourmaster, Mr. D. Rough, then gave the signal for whaleboats to take their stations, when live boats started for the prize, which was easily won by the boat steered by Mr. Merriott. The second race, for gigs pulled by amateur crews, next came off; three boats started on the signal being given. The Black Angel (4 oars) and the Leander (5 oars), the property of Mr. Felton Mathew, took the lead, followed in their wake by Mr. Weavill's 6-oared gig, pulled by the gentlemen of the Survey Department. The race was admirably contested down to the buoy, the Leander pressing the Black Angel hard on her larboard quarter, for the purpose, we supposed, of taking the inner berth on rounding it. On arriving at the buoy, the two leading boats were stem and stem, the Leander having decidedly the better berth on rounding it, when the crew of the Black Angel, finding she could not turn so quickly as their opponent, backed water with their larboard oars, consequently making a foul stroke, and threw themselves athwart the bow of the Leander. This forced the Leander either to run into her adversary, or take the outside berth (as a matter of courtesy the latter was taken), in doing which she got aground, and in the confusion the other boat grounded also. The Black Angel was immediately got off by one of her crew jumping overboard and pushing her off the mudbank (this was, however, contrary to the laws of aquatic sports), and got nearly six ship's lengths ahead of her adversary before she could possibly be pulled off by her crew. In the meantime, the 6-oared gig, which was a long way astern when the confusion occurred, rounded the buoy safely, and seeing what was the matter kept in deep water, and was abreast of the Leander before she got headway again. The Black Angel of course, came in first, but although the Leander's crew were much fatigued by getting her off the sandbank, they were not so great a distance from the Black Angel in coming in as when they got page 31 way on the gig after striking. It was considered by the greater majority, on the matter being explained, that the race should be run over again. The Leander's crew protested, but the result of the protest is not recorded. In the usual course of events, it is the Black Angel that "scoops the pool." The third race was the canoes, which was well contested by natives. After the Regatta, Captain Fraser, of the Parthenia, invited the amateurs who pulled in the second and third boats to dinner. This seems to have "squared" them for the loss of the prize. The Black Angels were "out of it." The dinner was got up in good style. After dinner several loyal toasts were given, among which were "Captain Hobson, and Prosperity to New Zealand," which was drunk amidst loud applause. It says much for the morals of this primeval period in the history of the colony that though there were a number of "three-bottle men" in the gathering the Herald historian feels bound to record that "the company broke up at an early hour, after spending a very pleasant day." In the evening the Governor Hobson Hotel was brilliantly illuminated.

It will be seen that our first anniversary regatta was the "day of small things," there king only three races; and the regatta of to day, almost half a century after, will serve to show by contrast the progress of the port and of the colony.

It seems that this anniversary regatta was "another injustice" not only to Wellington but to Ireland, for on St. Patrick's Day an Auckland regatta had to be got up under the immediate patronage of His Excellency the Governor, the stewards being W. Shortland, Esq., R.N, W. F.Porter, H. Tucker, Esq., R.N., and David Rough, Esq, harbourmaster. There were five races, including gig, whaleboat, and canoe races. Subscriptions were received at S. A. Wood's, Royal Hotel; Watson's. Exchange Hotel; Crummer and Phillipsthal s, Victoria Hotel, and the office of the New Zealand Herald.