History – Sculling contest, 1924

In my late mother’s scrapbook there is a small flyer advertising an Australasian Sculling Championship. The word ‘Australasian’ had been crossed out and my grandfather, Harold Marsh, had replaced it with ‘Dargaville.’ Mum wrote ‘Pop went to this’ with no further details though she did have photographs taken at the time.

Recently, I found among more Marsh papers donated to the Heritage Centre, Harold’s notes on the trip, written for a Lantern Slide show. A Google search also produced articles from The Northern Advocate.

Harold and his nephew Cyril Halfpenny joined a party from Wellsford, Port Albert and Wharehine who had hired the Ivy to make a special trip to Dargaville to see the sculling match on the Wairoa River between W. McDevitt, of Tasmania, Darcy Hadfield, ex-NZ and world champion, James Mason, of Whangarei, and George Ceruti, of NSW.

Around 9am on June 10, Harold and Cyril rowed their punt into the Oruawharo River to meet the Ivy. Harold noted that he thought they were well out, but ‘Johnny with the pole’ had already found bottom and a piratical figure in the bow was waving frantically for them to pull further out. Reaching Ivy, they passed up their gear and scrambled aboard. The punt was towed down to the next point, Atiu, where it was left anchored. An ebbing tide made for easy progress down the Oruawharo and they passed many familiar spots including a village of gumdiggers’ whares at Taupei (Solomon’s Bay).

Some of the passengers passed the time by playing 500. One or two spent practically the whole trip both ways playing, except when a meal was on. A photo of the card game was taken when they were well out from the islands at the mouth of the Oruawharo. Ivy was unsteady and one player abruptly left  saying: ‘Here Roy, take my hand! This is no good to me!’

They had lunch while passing Beacon Point on their port side. Shortly afterwards, Harold’s hat went overboard so sail was lowered and the Ivy put about to rescue it – passengers remarked ‘Skipper, charge this man two bob extra.’

They arrived at Dargaville around 2.30 pm and with an hour to spare before taking up a viewing position, went ashore for a while. On their return, Dargaville’s Mayor told them the Ivy couldn’t follow the race, only the steamers and one launch were allowed. They explained they were only going to anchor where they could watch the finish and they would pay to see the race (three shillings each).

Ivy anchored a quarter of a mile below the finish line. Light was dull, water calm. At last the competitors appeared, two steamers with launches following and Hadfield leading at first. McDevitt passed him before they reached Ivy’s position. From the opposite side of the river shouts of ‘Hadfield, Hadfield’ made Harold think Hadfield was winning. Then they heard a shot at the arrival of the first boat and plenty of shouting on the other side.

The Northern Advocate reported:McDevitt, who had been rowing steadily at 32 strokes to the minute, speeded up for the last 300 yards and to the accompaniment of loud applause from the throng on the wharf he crossed the line three lengths ahead of Hadfield. A fresh outburst of cheering was aroused when Ceruti and Mason battled out third position. (Mason beat Ceruti).

The Ivy returned to Dargaville where passengers had tea and a stroll through the town. Embarking again at 6 pm they headed back to Port Albert. In familiar waters once more the two men collected their gear and their punt and rowed home.