Swimming.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1910, Page 14

Swimming.

« (By " Header.") Mid-week club races have at last commenced, both the Thorndon and Wellington Clubs having got off a 50yds dash. The entries in. both cases were satisfactory; a full list was hardly to be expected for the season's first event. The 'lhorndon and Wellington clubs, it is understood, are to' formulate their yearly programmes at their next meetings. Tne Wellington Club's programme will in all probability include not one, but several, longer distance races, and it is said that a quartermile, half-mile, and mile are on the car« pet. Possibly there will be two "4405," and perhaps a couple of "880's." And, once again, good-luck to the club. As long as it persists in such a policy, it cannot but help enjoying success. Opportunity is now taken to again remind the Thorndon Club ot the- advisabieness of putting on long-distance events, and chopping out the majority of those useless 50yd "dashes." The writer has heard any number of arguments against the sprints, but not one which could honestly be said to be in their favour.- Ihe Thorndon Committee, which is composed of sportsmanlike fellows, should see the force of the argument right away, and should resolve to have no races (except in the B class) under 100 yds, such to come into effect after the ]New Year holidays. Inis would be a bold step, but would almost certainly be justified by results. "Header" is not the only New Zealand writer who keeps hammering away at this subject. Only this week "Natator" (Canterbury Times) indulges in some very plain speaking. The Canterbury Centre has, he says, seen fit to pass a motion recommending that 100 yds be the minimum for all club races. But if this is Canterbury's attitude, it is difficult to understand why that centre includes a 50yds event in its championship programme. This race, by the way, is fixed for the 16th. of this month, and the "100" for 2nd January. The Swifts Club is to be heartily congratulated on including in its programme a 100 yds breast stroke event. Now that one club has taken the lead others are sure to follow, and swimming will certainly be the better for it. The cluß, it might be mentioned, has decided to hold all its mid-week races on Thursdays, and if the other clubs at Te Aro pick on some other day th«re will be no fear of clashing. So far the Swifts have arranged for the following • races :—Bth: — Bth December, 50 yds; 15th December, 50yds, B class; 22nd December, 100 yds breast; 12th January, Ist distance (50yds) Smith Cup ; 19th January, 2nd distance (100 yds) Smith Cup; 26th January, 3rd distance (150 yds) Smith Cup; 2nd February, 220 yds; 9th February, 50yds, B class. The Swifts Club resumed life-saving classes on Thursday evening last, and there was an encouraging attendance. It 6eems that the Swifts Club is not by an^ means dead, as was thought by some, and there is every prospect of its being is prominent this year as in previous seasons. The Thorndon Club has appointed Messrs. Kirkwood and Smith as its delegates on the centre. The centre has been awaiting news from Christchurch. regarding the championships before meeting again. N^t that there is no business to be done. On. the contrary, there is a great deal needing attention. There is the question of the allocation of the Walker and Hall Cup; facts regarding water polo have to be adjusted; and ,there are a dozen other important matters to come up. Speaking of water polo, has anything been done with the proposed formation of a junior grade? In Christchurch such a grade is to be established, and Wellington should follow suit. . A junior competition would give clubs a chance to enter two teams, or even three, thus giving the younger and . less experienced swimmers a fair chance to shine in an attractive game. When the lighting as proposed is installed at Te Aro Baths it would be possible to play the game at night, and therefore there would be no difficulty in getting through in time. ' It is said that it is. the intention of the Victoria College Swimming Club to hold a "night carnival at Te Aro shortly. So far this club is only in its infancy, and if it does hold a, night gala it may safely look upon the other city clubs for support. A movement is on foot to establish a Surf and Life-saving Club, with headquarters at Karaka Bay. If the movement takes practical form — and there is every reason to believe it will — the promoters should also form a swimming club. Round about the bay there is a large population, and as far as Wellington generally is concerned there is ample room for another swimming clvb — "the more the merrier." Karaka Bay, too, is an ideal place for a surf club, the beach being on© of the safest near Wllington. The mover in the matter is Mr. H. Eountree. C. Atkinson, champion breast-stroker of New Zealand, recently broke an Australasian record (which the Press Asso.ciation evidently thought quite unimportant), in that he swam 50yds on tie breast in 78sec. The performance was made in the presence of the large gathering of people who attended the public reception to Mr. Henry at the Municipal Tepid Baths. Atkinson was started by Air. Henry, and he was timed by officials of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. He swam the first length of 33yds in 22^sec, the second in 26£ sec, and the third in 29sec, a total of 78sec. -The previous best performance was that of H. Snell, who at Sydney during last summer swam the distance In 79 3-ssec. Atkinson's performance .was as enthusiastically applauded as it deserved to be. While at Dunedin Mr. Henry examined the plans for the proposed municipal baths in that town, and afterwards he congratulated the Mayor on the excellent design' and up-to-date nature of the plans. He was particularly pleased with the Turkish baths, remarking that in a semi-humid climate they were very beneficial. He stated that the experience in other places was that the revenue from the Turkish baths was sufficient alone to pay for tho total upkeep of the whole building and pool.

W. J. Gibbons, who wa» d/squalified in 1907, is (according to the New Zealand Herald) again making application for reinstatement. The suspension was imposed on him by ,the Auckland Centre, and last season that body recommende'l to the New Zealand Council that the disqualification should be removed, but for reasons best known to themselves the members of the New Zealand Council declined to accede to Auckland's recommendation. Gibbons, who was successful to an unusual degree for a period of three years prior to his disqualification, has since been instrumental in saving life from drowning in the Auckland Harbour on four occasions. "Local swimmers," concludes the writer, "consider that, as he has served a lengthy period, his meritorious deeds should also carry some weight. There is a feeling here that if the New Zealand Council does not gracefully accede at an early date to the I Auckland Centre's recommendation, an effort will be made- to force its hands.'* Mr. Paul M'Namee, Auckland, has received a letter strting that there is a probability of C. Healy and A. Wickham, the crack Australian swimmers, accepting an invitation to visit Auckland under the , auspices of the Eoyal Lifesaving Society. A letter received from Melbourne stated that there was no pos-J sibility of F. Beaurepaire visiting Auckland this season. A telegram received I

in Auckland from Wanganui states that it is not considered advisable to proceed with the proposed tour of the Dominion of a team of Manly surf-bathers. A correspondent, "Tramway," thinks that the _ City Council shoula provide more facilities for sport at tht, local baths. He suggests that a greasy pole be set -> in one corner. This, he asserts, woulu not only serve as a sport for swimmers, but also for non-swimmers. "I am certain," he conclude^, "that the suggestion will be welcomed by a large section of constant attenders at the baths."