Swimming.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 122, 21 November 1908, Page 14

Swimming.

{By "Header.")

Mr. G. J. Nicholas, who held the position of honorary, secretary of the Woodville Swimming Club during its first session, is at present in Wellington, and will probably remain in tho city for tho greater part of tho season. He has lost no time in getting into touch with swimming matters locally, and has become a member o£ the Swifts Club. Other new arrivals since last season who have put in an early appearance at the baths are L. Salek, late of Wanganui College, and E. Coghlan, who is believed to hail from Auckland. In view of tho attempt oi the Wellington Centre to popularise the life-saving branch of swimming amongst clubs, the following exposition of the aims and objects of "the Royal Life-saving Society," as set out in its handbook of instruction, should be of interest :—: — 1. To promote technical education in life-saving and resuscitation of the apparently drowned. 2. To stimulate public opinion in favour df the general adoption of swimming and life-saving as a branch of instruction in schools, colleges, etc. 3. To encourage floating, diving, plunging, and such other swimming arts as would bs of assistance to a person attempting to save life. 4. To arrange and promote public lectures, demonstrations, and competitions, and to form classes of instruction, so as to bring about a widespread and ■thorough knowledge of tho principles which underlie the art of natation. it is set forth in this handbook that "the inception of the Royal Life-sav-ing Society was due to the oft-expressed desire 'to minimise the great loss of life from drowning, and to teach those possessed of ordinary human pluck the best methods of rescue, and the resuscitation of the apparently drowned, and to develop the humane side of one of the noblest of our pastimes. The desire to save a human life, the thought to lend a hand to a brother _in peril, the sympathy with distress which many feel, but Know little how to express, so greatly underlie tho work of tho society that there is little wonder it has found its way into human hearts far away from London, the city of its birth. The "touch of nature which makes the whole world kin" has pervaded the entiro history of the 'society. It has so appealed to people of all classes in every clime, that at present its aims and objects are known not only throughout tha United Kingdom, but also in the most distant part of the British Empire, as well as most European countries. It is earnestly hoped that every one who obtains the awards granted by the society will become a member, and so help to extend its usefulness. All interested in this splendid movement are requested to writ© for the annual report, which shows at a glance the progress that has been made. Each of tho four city clubs has appointed one man who is to go through a course of instruction in life-saving drill and resuscitation methods, with the object of forming classes later on amongst the members of clvibs. After a fair degree of proficiency has been obtained, competitions between teams representing various clubs will be held with a view to perfecting swimmers in their knowledge of this useful work. This class of competition should appeal particularly to that class of swimmer who comes under the heading of "strong" rather than "fast," as speed is but a secondary consideration to endurance in this matter. Some splendid sprint swimming was witnessed at the new Municipal Baths, Domain, recently, according to a Sydney exchange. Over the straight "hundred," Cecil Healy put up_ the remarkable time of 55sec, which is 2-sth better than the famous American, Daniels', world's record, accomplished with turns, which are aids to him, so adept is he at the business. On 24th October a swimming meeting was held at the Claremont Baths (Perth), in honour of Frank Beaurepaire, while on his way to Melbourne. The champion took part in a couple of races. Ofl scratch, according to the referee, he wen the Open Handicap (220 yards) from F.^Schryver, 30sec, and F. Sweetman, lOsec, by six yards in 2min 40 4-ssec. He was on the scratch mark also in the Open Handicap (440 yards), but was beaten by three yards by F. Schryver, 70sec, F. H. Rason, HOsec, being third. Time; 6 mm 40sec.