SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

Mataura Ensign, 2 February 1909, Page 4

SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

FOOTBALL,

AQUATICS.

ALLOWANCES OF PLAYERS. BY £[t£CTBIC TELEGRAPH COPXRIGIIT. l'i:i! I'IUTED PRESS ASSOCIATION. LONDON, Feb.: 1? The Rugby Union Committee, resolved that the payment of 3s per day to members of the Australian and New Zealand teams to cover drinks at meals and other legitimate expenses did not amount To professionalism. Nevertheless, in view of the fact, that such payments were open to misconstruction and possible abuse, the Committee decided that, the managers pay such expenses iu future.

RECORD MOTOR BOAT RACE. AUCKLAND, Jan. 31. What is considered locally to be the longest motor boat raco yet held in Australasia was contested yesterday and to-day between Air H. H. Adams' Eliza and Air J. Reid's Seabird. The course was from Auckland to Russell and back, a distance of 2-10 knots. The boats loft Auckland at 7.50 a.m. yesterday in calm weather. The Eliza, which led throughout, passed the halfway mark at Russell at 10.50 yesterday evening, having taken exactly 15 hours fan average of eight knots) to do the 120 knots. Auckland hadior was reached at 2.25 this afternoon by the Eliza. The whole journey occupied 30 hours 35 ininules. the average running time being approximately eight knots. The Seabird rounded the mark at Russell .18 minutes alter the Eliza. The Eliza is lilted with a locally-designed and manufactured engine. Tile race arose out of tile Rudder Cup contest (105 knots), in which the Seabird made the fastest time, the Eliza being one ol the deleated competitors.