Swimming.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 128, 26 November 1904, Page 14

Swimming.

[Bt Side-stkoke.]

The Swifts Club, which is always first in the field with its carnival, is now hard at work. At its last year's sports meeting the club provided- afternoon tea for visitors — an innovation which was much appreciated, and it is the intention of the committee to do so again this year. Comfortable seating accommodation is essential to the enjoyment of an afternoon's swimming sports, and arrangements are in hand for the supply of chairs for lady visitors and forms for men. The committee has decided to request boys without e.-scort to take positions on the seaward side of the bath, wh^re they will be able to witness the races without fear of obstruction. The committee will present members' tickets entitling the holder to free admission to competitors who pay their entrance fees for races before the carnival. Entries for the teams' race at the Swift* carnival close on Friday next. Handicaps will be declared the same evening. The Wellington Centre has been approached by the Wangonui Centre with a view to having a special carnival arranged here on Boxing Day in honour of B. Keran, who is coming over to Wanganui from Australia. After some discussion the Centre decided that it could not hold a carnival on the date suggested, as most of the officinls will be out of town at Christmas, but it was resolved to inform the Wanganui Centre that arrangements might be made for a big meeting in January, if suitable terms can be made between the two Centres. A correspondent, who apparently has a vein of Old World chivalry in his composition, writes in reference to the Ladies' Bracelet, to be swum at the Swifts carnival, suggesting that each member should be nominated by a lady, to whom the trophy should be given by the winner. Thus he considers old-time memories would be revived. Although, it is

ao longer fashionable for men to tilt at one another in armour for their lady's favour, our correspondent thinks the swimming bath is an "arena in which men might be pitted against one another for the honour of the lady's favour. A thirt«en-year-old lad named Edmund D.idd, a son of"S. T. Dad'd, who won the plunging championship of England in 1893, has been doing §ome fine work in the plunging line in the Old Country.- In t recent handicap he was on scratch, and .started with, a- plunge of 62ft 6in, - and followed ihi£u.p" with 65ft 7in in 58sec. J. A\ Jarvis, the English crackj' has £\fine list of championships to his credit. Ihe following is .the list: — Salt water, 440 yds twice, in 1898 and 1900 ; 6tJoyds, four times, in 1898, 1899", 1900, and 1901 ; half-mile, four times, 1898, 1899, 1900, apd£t9ol ; mile, six times, 1897, 1898, 189§, 1900, 1901, and 1902; long distance, seven times, 1638,- 1899, 1900, 1901, 1802, 1903, and 1904; plunging, once, 1904. Thus he has. won no fewer than twenty-four national events; At a r,ecent meefcipg 'of the Wangnnui Centre <of the N^w,- Zealand -..Amateur Swimmiiig -Association^ it was decided that if the^New Zealand championships are allottedlto Wangatiui they should be decided at the meeting to be held by the Wanganui Swimming dub on 28th and 31st December.-. It Tvas announoed that favourable replies had De'en received from leading New jjealand swimmers who had been invited^b be present. . v A clu^.'h<s been form&} at the Spit, J Napier, and will affiliate with the Hawkes Fay Centjo. An eji'ort is \to be ; made this season to. advance the interests of the Centre in every possible manner".