SWIMMING

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21972, 22 December 1936, Page 18

SWIMMING

AUSTRALIANS LEAVE ON AWATEA VISIT OF SURF TEAM NEXT FEBRUARY (PRESS ISSOCUTIOV TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON. December 21. The final appearance of the Australians, Arthur O'Connor (diving champion), and W. Fleming (freestyle and backstroke champion), drew an interested crowd to the Lower Hutt baths. Fleming, who had been confined to his bed through illness contracted after leaving Christchurch, rather than disappoint the crowd, swam in the 100 yards freestyle invitation event, which he won in 60 2-ssec. Thereafter, O'Connor filled the gap admirably with an exhibition of plain and fancy diving. A presentation of greenstone tikis was made to the visitors by the chairman of the Wellington Amateur Swimming Association. Mr Dudley Hellmrich, the manager, was presented with a pieca of carved kauri. Mr Hellmrich, who is secretary of the New South Wales Amateur Swimming Association, said that on his return to Sydney he will make every endeavour to induce the Australian Union to waive temporarily the rule about the disqualification of surf members who compete In-still-water swimming carnivals, so as to enable the members of the Australian surf team which will tour New Zealand next February, to fall in line with the wishes of the New Zealand Surf Association and compete in stillwater carnivals. The team sailed to-day by the Awatea.