Sports Review

This photo taken in Port Moresby some time in the ’Twenties, will bring back memories for many New Guinea old hands. It does for Mr. Ivan Champion, who recalls: For about five years in the ’Twenties, the big trading-canoe races were the chief Saturday sporting event in Moresby. A considerable amount of money changed hands in betting on the results.

The Aquatic Club —the step-father of Port Moresby’s present Yacht Club —was formed in 1922, and main purpose of its foundation members was to race the big 40-ft canoes in the Saturday races. The club house —closer to the town than the present yacht club building— became a war casualty although the piles can still be seen on the foreshore.

The canoes themselves were usually hired from the natives, and entered in the races by their temporary European “owners”. The “owner” sailed on the canoe, but more or less as a passenger, as the captain and crew were natives, and paid for the job.

The only difference between the big sailing canoe and the old time lakatoi was the canvas sails which were paid for by the Euro pean concerned—and it was part of the bargain that the native who really owned the canoe used the sails during the week when he went about his normal business of trading.

It was the sails—or the cost of therm—that really administered the “coup de grace”—to the whole enterprise. After 1927, as the. whole world moved towards the Depression, it was considered too costly a hobby and gradually the club changed over to racing small 12-ft canoes built for the job. Below is an old time lakatoi.