SWIMMERS CONFER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1050, 13 February 1911, Page 3

SWIMMERS CONFER.

THE FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE. ADDITIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ' SUGGESTED. , ■ A special meeting of representatives of Iho various swimming bodies ill Now Zealand was held at the Grand Hotel on Saturday, morning, •Mγ. G. Harris, president of tho New Zealand Swimming Association occupying, the chair. Tho chairman explained that the meeting had been called to consider tho question of. whether, ■tho association should bo represented-at tho Festival of Empire, to be held in connection with the Corohntiou celebrations.. A letter dealing with tho original invitation was read by tho 'secretary, who explained that it was proposed .to send o. team of three New Zealand athletes who would have to leavo New Zealand by February. 23 at. the latest. The secretary nlso read a letter which had been forwarded to. the Primo Minister in reply to his request to tUo deputation HUich waited on him on Friday for further details of tho estimnted cost of the proposal. The letter pointed out that the .£iou; would be required to pay tho bare expenses of. three New Zealand champions. . . Mr. G. S. {Hill moved that the New Zealand Swimming Association should support tho movement to send representatives, of Australasia to tho Festival ot Lmpire sports. He was strouglj' of opinion that tho association should co-opor-ato with tho other athletic ■ bodies and endeavour , to give effect to tho general desire. • ■ . . . Mr. K. Bassott thought that there- was no question that if a swimmer was to be sent from New Zealand, it should undoubtedly be M. E. Champion, of Auckland, who, during tho present Now Zealand championship nicotine, had'.stood head and shoulders above his fellows. It-had io bo understood,. however, that New Zealand could not bo separately represented. s ■ Mr. Hill's .motion was carried. * 11. re P' y '° a nuestion, tho secretary ,of tho New Zealand Council stated.that thcro was practically no credit on the competitive side of tho council's bal-'ancc-sheet. Tho representatives of various centres, however, promised to do whatovcr thoy could in the matter of assisting to finance tho movement from their meagre funds or by holding special carnivals. : . A committee .consisting >o£ Messrs. Harris, Bassett, nnd Johnston \sas set up to go into the matter," and advise the centres of tho progress made. < Mr. Mulvahill, manager of the Auckland team, remarking on the suggestion , la . d bcon "" u '° tna t Champion should be sont to England, said ho did not'think'tho Auckland representative would bo available if chosen. Firstly, Champion could not do ns well in fresh water, in which ho would have to'competo in England, as he could in' salt water; again, ho had dependents on him, and had to consider his occupation. Personally, ho thought it would bo better to send Opie, of Canterbury, as'a second string to Woodger. . • , A suggestion was made that New Zealand shonld in futuro be represented nt tho Australasian championships.' Tho chairman said a number of swimmers had regretted , that the amalgamation botwjen wow Zealand and Australia had been i\° ft Per « | nall.v, he was viry earntho old agreement was ever broken.

THE GENERAL CONFERENCE. .When the'nbovc business hnd been disposed of tho general conference of swimK™,,™ commenced,- Mr. G. S. Hill (Wellington), presiding , Tho other dole: ?{ l ,£ c ? 1.P r . OSe ? t w«»: Messrs. .T.. Shields \\ clhniiton), Roulstori and B. C. Froyborn (Hftwko's Bay). Kich nnd Eldrfdßo .Canterbury), Grant (Wnnwniii). James Stewart and Mulvahill (Auck-

•'•7 M . r *'. : Jl" l vahill sußßCfted (hat tho New ■Zealand Comicil bo asked to go into tho matter of (ho allocation of New ZμInud championships, and allot tho dates of tho championships for tho next fivo years.

■ •Mr. Eldndgc moved nn amendment that tho period bo reduced to three years. Ho thoiißht five years t was too?far ahead. After n short discussion the amendment' wns withdrawn, and tho motion was agreed to. ■

SpeakiiiK in regard to roaffiliation with Australia, Mr. Mulvahill remarked on tho advantages to bo Rained by such a fitop, and it was decided to suggest to \the Now Zealand Council that tho aßrccment with Australia bo rcnowed. : I ■ ■ . iMr. Johnston pointed out that tho Australian championships .had been nllo-' cated for the next four years, and ho did not seo how Now Zealand could, bo admitted again insido tho four years.' ,Mr. Mulvahill thought Austrnlia'would not be nverso to a redistribution of its championships to get New Zealand in. ,The suggestion was agreed to. Jfr. Mulvahill moved, that tho New Zealand Council bo asked to givo a moro liberal interpretation to tho rule dealing with tho expenses for amateurs travelling, in order that ono club, for instance, in Auckland could invito andpay tho expenses of a Wellington champion if it thought, fit. An attempt by tho Ponsonby Club, Auckland, in tho above direction had been defeated jome timo ago. At Kaster, ho mentioned, it' was tho intention of tho Waitemata (Auckland) Club to endeavour to get tho Thorndon Club to. send an inter-club team to Auckland to meet the Waitemata Club. Tho suggestion was agreed to.

Mr. Hill moved that the New Zealand Association be asked to include a ladies' swimming race on tho championship programme This was agreed to. It was also decided to recommend that a 100 yards breast. stroko and a 1320 yards trudgcon championship bo placed on tho programme On tho motion of Mr. Rich, it was decided to ask tho New Zealand Association to includo a back-stroke race on the New Zealand championship programme. Tho necessity for having a shield for compolition at tho ■ championship meeting was stressed by Mr. Mulvahill. This, ho thought, would lead to stronger teams being sent from tho various provinces. It was decided to make a recommendation to tho association in terms of the above. •

It was decided to suggest to tho New Zealand Association that tho polo rules should bo altered to bring them into lino with tho Victorian rules as regards commencing play. According to tho Victorian rules tho players must bo in their respective positions when .tho ball ia thrown in, instead of on the goal-line. ' A suggestion was made by Mr. Hill that a diving championship should bo added to tho JJow Zealand championship programme. This was agreed to.