SWIMMING TITLES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 15, 18 January 1941, Page 3 (Supplement)

SWIMMING TITLES

MUST BE DECIDED AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

NO EVENTS AT STRATFORD. A TELEGRAM received in New Plymouth on Thursday night by officials of the Taranaki Swimming Centre from the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association directs that all the national championship carnival events must be held at New Plymouth on January 25, 27 and 29.

In commenting nn this decision to :i "Taranaki Herald'' reporter on Friday morning, Mr. F. J. Eggleton. chairman of the Taranaki Centre, said that when he applied, at the annual conference, for the championships to be allotted to Taranaki, one point made was that the events would be split up and that one sect-ion would be held at Stratford, which has one of the l>cst open-air baths in Xew Zealand. It was also emphasised that as the championship carnival had a definite educational value there would lie an advantage in having some of the events at Stratford, as it would give a larger number of Taranaki residents an opportunity of seeing some of the Dominion's leading swimmers. It would also be an advantage on account of the benzine restrictions.

Now Zealand Secretary Recants.

In conversation with Mr. Baxter O'Neill, secretary of thc association, lie expressed the idea as a good one. and he had been at the baths at Stratford at a carnival in which all the competitors in the last championship carnival at Xew Plymouth took part, though it was not part of the championship programme. All the swimmers spoke in terms of high praise of the baths and of hospitality of the Stratford residents. In view of thc objection of the Auckland competitors to travelling to Stratford, said Mr. Eggleton. and the advice of the Xew Zealand Council, the Taranaki centre had no option but to cancel the arrangements for Stratford, and to hold the full carnival programme at the Xew Plymouth baths, and they expressed their regret to the people of the Stratford district for the change in thc arrangements.

Special Excursion Train. Mr. F.jrjrleton acldevl that the Taranaki rontre had arranp«d for a special excursion train to take swimmers and supporters to Stratford, at no co~t to the competitor*, their transport cost bcinjr borne by the Taranaki Centre. lie also said the citizens of Stratford had arranfred to take the swimmer* into their homos for Tnnchcon and also to jrive them facilities for restinjr between the afternoon events and the. eveninp; finals. Every detail had been carefully thought out and there would have been no inconvenience to competitors or olficials.

The centres which had opposed the scheme (inchidinjr Auckland) had made their complaints without knowing what the conditions would be, said Mr. Errjrleton, who remarked also that the Wellington Centre, which was one of the objectors to the Stratford part of the arrangements, held their championships In the Lower Hntt baths when the championships were allotted to Wellington.

Eleventh Hour Blitzkrieg. The Auckland centre this week decided to send a telegram to the Xew Zealand council at Christchurch protesting against Taranaki centre's proposal to hold the national championship events on January 27 at Stratford, instead of holding the enure meeting at Xew Plymonth. The Auckland Ventre said it understood that all the events would be swum at Xew Plymouth, and was not informed until a few days ago of the change to Stratford, where the pool contained cold fresh water.

When the national swimming championships were allotted to Taraiuki at the annual conference held at Wellington in October, it was clearly stated to all delegates that it was proposed to hold a part of the championships at Stratford. an official of the centre said last nijrht! Posters and entry forms were issued ahont three weeks apo. and in fairness to the Taranaki centre all centres disapproving of the arrangement should admit they had had plenty of time to express their opinion. Centres were circularised about train arrangements at Stratford at least two weeks a<*o it wax stated. '