KAHANAMOKU.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 236, 9 November 1914, Page 2

KAHANAMOKU.

THE HAWAIIAN WORLD-BEATER. WILL HE VISIT NEW ZEALAND? With the swimming season already well under way in Australia it is still a matter of some doubt if the much-discussed visit of Duke Kahanamoku to the Antipodes will take place. The original arrangement involved an extended tour of Australia and New Zealand, and the matter was regarded as definitely settled when the advent of the war raised doubts as to the practicability of the visit. Mr W. T. Rawlins, lion, secretary of the Hawaiian Athletic Association and president of the Hui Swimming Club, writing to Mr W. W. Hill (secretary of the N.S.W. Association) in September last, said: —"Since your letter was written the great European war has broken out, and I am in some doubt., since Great Britain is involved in' it, whether the Australian people would want to go ahead with the programme of sports that you had mapped out, as no doubt some of your swimmers will be among those chosen to go to the' front. If it' is still .the idea to- go on' with the meet, then 1 would lilie you to cable me." Mr Hill'replied, giving an assurance' that Australia still wished to go through with the programme. Word was received from both New Zealand and Queensland intimating their desire to see the proposed trip carried through, and their willingness to meet their proportion of the financial obligations. No definite information was then forthcoming from Victoria, the State still considering' the matter. Unfortunately, neither West | Australia, South Australia, or Tasmania felt strong enough to come in and share the ..responsibilities," However," said a Sydney writer, in commenting on the position, "the scheme is not dependent on their , co-operation, and as far as the guarantees are concerned, the visit of the celebrated Hawaiian and party is assured. The latest advices from Mr Rawlins indicate that the ' Duke' is available;' sb-'fliat the. prospects of liia iembiirking for these shores this ."slimmer are decidedly promising at moment. , ' . ' * ' ; ' : ; INDECISION,.',..., • -Shortly afterwards,: it'wag . reported that Victoria- couldnot.comje in>, At.about the .same■ tinle .the3Slew-Zealand ;Council was receiving disquieting. reports frorr\ the various centres, Hawke's Bay, .Weir lington, and ,• Dunedin. .-.being; unablp. to offer • financial assistance, ;. The .cqiiiicil communicated. M'-ath the Union' to the ; vi-sjt, and . later,. on the posi.; tion, decided to adhere,; to ; the programme, and bring Kahanamoku.,to New. Zealand! At a still later stage, ; Jioweyer,. . .things were looking so .l?lack ; ,t^j:.,.th^ ; N% Ze»- : land Council . felt . that, .the ;,finan«ial, risk .was too. hazardous .to jundertake,: .and -it abandoned th#, idea.. .. Scarcely, had this decision; -beep, arrived •• at,; when a sl,os guarantee w&s. Airland qentre. . ;^he. offer .was conditional pp lnud being allotted tyro \Saturday, cariii-. ; vals in addition to two dates already allotted. Jn, consequence, qf^ v ttyis v offer, tlie ( ; , Zealand,, Coyne O^cideVf,agjain to, , apprcjacty,,,, thy, ; , Ventres tg gee, Vjrhat; could be done. ' ; , l ' i . ' , ' ■■ • A- WELLINGT.OJSr i; ' ; So^fai 5 Wellington is concerned,. it appears, quite >certainthafc no support will i be forthcoming* froni ;.,>that ; quarter. A Wellington-enthusiast,,: in--.a . letter . to ''•Crawl" -States As regards Dt&e.'g visit to New Zealand,, the Wellington centre has no funds-whatsoever, there are many of us who could stand to the centre and guarantee the money, who are not going to, owing to the unsportsmanlike manner in which we were treated by some of the swimmers when we financed the visit of the Australian swrnimerfc-.i If' you remember, on that occasion we were Charging at the Te Aro Baths, and a section of the life-saving people ran a free show and attracted some 1000 people to Lyall Bay on; the first day that we opened at the Baths. „ They advertised it; on the trams and also in conspicuous positions in the city; There were four of -us who guaranteed £5 each, and we stood to lose that had not the meeting turned .out a success —which practically was no more or less than a weather gamble, as you know. The men who are behind the game with money here cannot swallow that pill. Naturally, with the cost of advertising and other incidental expenses, had not that day turned out as it did, this centre | would have been bankrupt; We had liabilities of about £9O, and not a copper to meet it.' In fact, we were in debt at the time. Now, could you. on those facts, so well known to you (there is only a small

community who follow and pay for our sport here) go into it again and put up money to finance our centre against any I loss? The old motto is: Once bit, twice shy.'' After referring to the fact that practically all Wellington's good swimmers have joined the Expeditionary forces, the writer proceeds:—"So supposing Wellington had an inclination to entertain Duke's proposition, as outlined by the council, what could we possibly do with him? Surely, you would not expect Wellington to look at an exhibition given by him only? Or would you expect us to pit some schoolboys against him ? I cannot possibly see how a programme of any attraction could be made up. All this would be counteraction against the money problem, as the centre would have to be financed by enthusiasts, and what have we got to put up as security? "I am very sorry to sound such a dole- : fill tune about Duke's visit, but there is another big drawback. I feel sure that this centre would not for a moment stand the council's proposition for the financing of Kahanamoku's visit. They are quite able to manage their own affairs, and would stand no interference from the council. They would pay their quota of expenses, and after that all the moneys would go into the centre's.own pockets. They will not have sny interference from the council whatsoever, so far as any deductions are to be made for the council's advantage, after having paid the actual expenses of bringing Duke to Wellington, and his expenses whilst-in this city. Our centre and the head body, -will take a long time to see. eye to eye on many matters, and probably the most. important one is finance. The financing.that- goes on in Christchurch from the head body does not suit the palates of our -men here, and probably until such times as the centres can see some returns. for> the enormous amount of money in proportion that they pay, so will that feeling exist."... It is plain that from the point of view of Wellington the position is <prite hopeless. . ...... NEW SOUTH WALES DETERMINED. Commenting on the. position .in New Zealand, f .^aUy'.*Teipgraph *' says u New South Wa}es ; s.winimers are surprised at the turn .qf events across the Ta ; sm^n ? an£ express ' strongly: . the.-; vj£w tljat. tfe .big Wellington, and. Cluusfehurxih, should gee the , things through. .. . . ~-M.Al'tifiough a-: Jittl& perturbed" at.' tIMS prospeet- of carrying the major portion of the.k>ad\thrown off by Victoria and likely to - be; thrown off by New Zealand^ - tliiy New South Wales Association has determined. toj -proceed, in--conjunction with Queensland, with the tour, and it is quite possible; -thjkt this State . will- if the first Kahanamoku carnival in Sydney is a big success; 'finance a visit by the Hawaiian to Victoria; ' The association is determined, in Ih'e interests'of the sport, to do this if it possibly-can. ? If New Zealand drops outfit will mead;-a considerable curtailment! of ! the toui".'' • ■ -