Suva Yacht Club

Governor's Interest In Popular Fiji Sport

From Our Own Correspondent.

Suva, Feb. 20.

IF the muster of boats at the official opening of the Suva Yacht Club s season at Nukulau Island on February 7 is any criterion, 1937 is going to be a boom year for this young and flourishing club.

Twenty-three yachts turned out for the opening, in addition to some 20 launches.

While these figures may not seem large compared with clubs overseas, it has to be remembered that the club came into being only at the end of 1932. In little over four years the progress has been remarkable.

His Excellency the Governor, Sir Arthur Richards, is a keen yachtsman, and has accepted the office of club patron.

Mr. W. B. Hancock, recently re-elected for a second term as commodore, is a tower of strength to the club, and has done much to bring it to its present strong financial position.

His Excellency was at Nukulau for the season’s opening and, in declaring it open, expressed the hope that the club would soon possess its own club house — an object which the committee has had in hand for some time and is directing all its efforts toward. His Excellency’s interest is expected to give the sport a

big fillip this season.

Signs are already apparent that it will be a record year in every way. Seven new boats have taken the water, and five more are at present being built, so that the end of this year should see a fleet of some size on the harbour.

With innumerable small islands within easy and safe reach of Suva, Fiji is really a yachtsman’s paradise, and there is no reason why the club should not become a very important one in future years.