Falling Memberships Worries Swimmers

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 15

Falling Memberships Worries Swimmers

“The position of our swimming population is stagnant and. in fact, this year it has slipped back. We have to do some soulsearching to find out why”, the president of the Canterbury Swimming Centre (Mr S. Williams) told, the centre’s annual meeting.

He was commenting on the total decrease in club membership of 34 on the previous year’s figures. Mr Williams said that they had to ask themselves three

[things. Did young persons 'join clubs to become top grade swimmers, did they join for the social atmosphere or did . they join to learn to swim? “We must also look at the , facilities we have to offer. ; It does not take very long, if you look at the records, to find that clubs which have grown in membership are the ones that have the best facilities,” he said. Clubs with cold water and sub-standard pools found it very difficult to make any progress at all. I “We as a centre should see that facilities are attractive . to young Bcople in order to make swimming a worth-while sport.” If the centre saw that the city was adequately catered for with very good | pools, preferably heated ones, lit might halt the drift in ; membership, Mr Williams !said. Accounts Not Audited I Mr Williams then apologised on behalf of the management committee for not • having the accounts audited | before the meeting. The I Wharenui delegate, Mr D. W. •Cain, said it was no wonder | membership was falling off if that was an example of the efficiency of the body controlling the sport. • Mr Williams said that the position of treasurer had been i forced on the secretary. Mr |E. D. Kwok, when the person lined up for the job had had Ito withdraw. He had been I unable to get the accounts • audited before the annual 1 meeting. He blamed delegates for not allowing themselves to be nomi inated for positions on the : centre. • Nobody was prepared to be i treasurer or handicapper when ‘ officers were elected, and the : centre also nearly lost its sec:retary Referring to Mr Caln's crltl- • cism. Mr Kwok said that he had . not failed through lack of try- ' Ing, only lack of time. It was apparent he was being Inefficient and so he was not prei pared to accept his nomination. Mr Cain was Immediately [nominated as secretary from the floor, but passed it off as a Joke. He said that his comments had not been personally i directed at Mr Kwok. Mr Williams held a private discussion with Mr Kwok, who i eventually allowed his name to go forward and was unanimously elected. Mr Kwok re- ; ported that the centre had an i excess of Income over expend!I ture of £l7O. The accounts were I approved subject to audit. "Everyone Angry” There was something wrong [with New Zealand swimming at I present, the deputy-chairman of i the national swimming council • Mr G. S. Brockett told the meet- | ing after listening to some of • its arguments. “Why this should be I do not know.”

"Everyone seems to be angry." he said. Canterbury

was not the only centre. He had recently opened four letters to the New Zealand Council from centres all couched in angry terms He asked delegates to remember that they were part of a team. “Remember, there is a limit to the time that persons' can devote to swimming. You must not have four or five willing horses carrying a club. Try and spread responsibility and please, don’t let people get angry. Everyone limps and stumbles sometimes, but we all get there in the end,” Mr Brockett said Selectors' Ballot Two of last season’s selectors, Messrs D. W. Cain and R. W. H. Luscombe lost their positions in a seven-way ballot. The only member of last season's three-man selection panel to retain his position was Mr B. E. MacKenzie. The two new selectors are Messrs C. Harrow and J. H. Johnson. Officers elected were:—president, Mr S. Williams; vice-presi-dent, Mr J. H. Drummond; secretary, Mr E. D. Kwok: education officer, Mr M. J. Daniels; registrar, Mrs E. Luscombe; council delegate, Mr B. E. Mackenzie: representative to water polo board, Mr R. Erickson; management committee, Messrs D. P. Johnson, R. W. Luscombe, P. Jones and Mrs J. B. McGregor. Mr Williams was appointed to the vacant position on the life membership and blazer committee.