KEEN SWIMMERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 103, 4 May 1931, Page 3

KEEN SWIMMERS.

PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS. TROPHIES WON IN CONTEST. PRESENTATION CEREMONIES. Some weeks ago the recently-fermed Auckland Primary Schools' Swimming and Life Saving Association held a carnival that established a record for New Zealand. This carnival brought out the huge number of S7O individual competitors. To-day the tasks of presenting to schools the trophies won, and of handing to competitors the certificates awarded was undertaken by a party consisting of Mr. A. Burns, chairman of the Education Board and patron of the association, Mr. A. MacGregor, president, Mr. C. F. Stratford, secretary, and Messrs. Gaeparich, Moore aud Enright, of the executive. Their first visit was to Stanley Bay School, in front of which the children were assembled. The visitors were welcomed by Mr. C. M. Browne, chairman of the school committee. Mr. MacGregor congratulated tho scholars of a small school upon their excellent record of 72 entries and their annexation of the championship cups for life saving, both water and land drill, and the special cup for the best lifeeaving squad in the Auckland district.

Compulsory Instruction Advocated. Mr. Burns, in presenting these, trophies, added his congratulations and stressed the importance of encouraging swimming in schools. He himself would like to see a swimming pool at every sch'ool, with instruction in the art compulsory. He added a word of praise for those competitors who had not secured trophies or certificates. They had lived up to the motto of their school: "Who does his best does well." It was this spirit and the keenness for the water that had resulted in the securing throughout the Auckland education district of 2889 swimming certificates, with about 1000 more still to come, and 308 certificates for life saving. The pupik owed a debt of gratitude to Mr. Gasparich and his etaff for the keenness they had shown in encouraging the healthiest of all summer pastimes. Mr. J. Enright added further words of encouragement, while Mr. Browne and Mr. Gasparich returned thanks to the visitors on behalf of the 6chool. Cheers were given, and it was announced that to celebrate the excellent performance of Stanley Bay, the school would be given an hour off this afternoon. During Mr. Burns' visit opportunity was taken to show him the scheme of playground extension carried out with the' assistancee of a Departmental grant of £300 given some time ago.

Other Schools Visited. From Stanley Bay the presenting delegation went on to Curran Street, Point Chevalier, Kowhai, Mount Eden, Normal, Maungawhau and Dil worth schools, where similar functions took place, the ceremonies extending till 4 p.m. At Curran Street the pupils provided morning tea, and at Dilworth in the afternoon the party were x% " guests of tha Trust Board and staff.