Swimming. (By " Header.")

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 129, 27 November 1909, Page 14

Swimming. (By " Header.")

CARNIVAL FIXTURES. V.M.C.A., Bth January. , Swifts, 12th February. Thorndon, 26th February. Wellington, 12th March. Things in the swimming world have not been very lively in Wellington during the past week. The S/wifts held the first of their series of club races at Te Aro Baths last Thursday, and there was a good entry. This club has drawn up the following four events to be decided before the carnival on 12th February :—: — 100 yds handicap, on 9th December ; 50 yds, on 16th December; 220 yds, for a trophy presented by Mr. H. J. Hunter, on 13th January ; and the first distance for the Smith Cup series (50yds), on the 27th January. After the carnival the usual distance races, including 440 yds and one mile handicaps, and ihe final distances for the Smith Cup, will be held. The ladies' branch of the Swifts is also being catered for by a race over 50yds on Wednesday, 15th December, to be followed by other competitions at a later date. Next Wednesday, Ist December, the Thorndon Club "gets off" its initial race — a handicap over a distance of 50yds. It is expected that a goodly number will compete in the race, points for which are to count in the Ward Challenge Cup, won last year by Fred Roberts. Already I notice that C. Brice, C. A. M'Donald, G. Bruce; R. Ilealy, A. W. Smith, and many others, have entered. Several Thorndon swimmers have been putting in some useful work lately, and th"c times registered should be' fairly good. The race, I understand, was to havo been held this week, but the state of the baths at low tide induced tho committee to alter previous arrangements. Members of the junior division of the Wellington Club are reminded that a race specially for them will take place at Te Aro on Wednesday next. The club is striving hard to work up a big interest among the juniors, and it is to be hoped the younger swimmers will support the effort of the club in this direction as much as possible. The race is a 50yds handicap. Efforts are "still being made to secure an hon. secretary for the centre; but, so far as 1 am ablo to discover, without success. Mr. Hill has stated that he is unable to carry on the duties indefinitely, and the sooner he is relieved ■the better will he like it. Twenty-one new members were elected at the last meeting of the committee of the Swifts, and since then a number of_ further nominations have been received. B. C. Freyberg made his maiden appearance for this season last Saturday afternoon at Te Aro, where he put in some good work over a long course. It is not likely, however, that he will bo seen racing before the New Year, as at present ho is unable to find the time necessary for steady training. A start is about to made by the City Council with the erection of waterchutes in each of the baths at Te Aro as well as with the additional works recently authorised. Evidently the ''Wellington Club are taking heed of the remarks made on the opening day by Mr. Ronayne— that polo clubs must practice more. lam told that the Wellingtonians are to commence polo practice early next month, and that an effort will be made to keep practice going throughout the season between scratch teams picked at the baths. It is hoped tfiat the club will derive great benefit from such practices, and as a result put up a better showing at the polo competitions in the iuture. Mr M'llroy, secretary of the Thorndon club, is about to depart from Wellington, and wiU in future reside in Napier. Mr C. A. M'Donald is actingsecretary until^a permanent official can be appointed. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Association was held on Thursday evening, and according to the business sheet a large amount of business demanded the attention of the delegates. Ihe personnel of the Council has undergone a slight change since last season. Mr. Angus Russell represented H&wkes Bay vice Mr. W. G. Atack, and Mr. J. W. Sime acted for Westport. Among the matters discussed was that a 11 j aJloc l ation of championships. Auckland and Wellington were asnirants for the honour of conducting them., find the ballot resulted in favour of Auckland. In connection with the allocation of championships, a Southern writer ha* pointed out that a, good way to fix them would be to follow the same lines as are adopted in Australia. The same writer says that no doubt Canterbury will want theni next year, on the P le *. th s th fy should be held alternately in the North and South Islands. There is sure to be, in the writer's opinion, a big fight next year between Wanganui, Canterbury and Wellington. Other matters which were to demand attention, were life-saving and diving. The circular issued with the Government grant to the several centres by the secretary (]\lr. W. Johnson) has been favourably replied to by the various secretaries, who are said to evince a, lively interest in the suggestions contained therein. It is confidently hoped that the, coming season will show genuine progress m life-saving and humane work. The new municipal baths at Napier are credited with the boom which has set mm Hawke's Bay. Four new clubs have been affiliated to the centre, in?SnL lng m. he Na P ier Ladies' Swimming Club. The council was to be asked to confirm these applications, and if it did so, the Napier club will be the first ladies* club affiliated to the N.Z.A.S.A. A ladies' club has also been formed «i Hastings (H. 8.), and the Pioneer Club, lately formed in the same town, is said to have a membership of 100 odd. Ths Napier Club held a carnival recently, and the provincial champion over the 50yds distance proved to be G. Seymour. The time taken was 29 4-sth sec. "Kent," in the Sydney Referee, recently gave out a challenge to swim any amateur in Australasia in a race over ten miles. This has brought forward a reply from "South London," of Wellington, couched in the following terms :— "Having read 'Kent's' letter in your last issue, I would like to challenge him for a ten mile swim in any river in Australia or New Zealand for the bipeest purse, and I can find money for a side-bet. I have challenged Hoev, of Auckland, but he has not replied. I would also like to direct this to him as well."

An innovation at the Oamaru Railway Station Refreshment Rooms is caiisins considerable irritation among inexperienced travellers. For the sum of 6d, hitherto, one was supplied with a cup of tea and a sandwich, and the instuction to leave the cup and saucer in the train for collection farther up the line. Now. however, on« is called upon to pay 9s for the cup and saucer, "money returned when crockery is returned." The average tourist has not a great deal of facility for the personal return of a cup and saucer which he has carried with him a distance of, say. 30 miles, so that the innovation (says the Timaru Po?t) is simply in the nature of supplvitig him with twopence worth of crockery for ninepence, <