SWIMMING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 43, 19 August 1913, Page 2

SWIMMING

PROPOSED TRIP TO AUSTRALIA TURNED DOWN BY LOCAL CENTRE. A general meeting of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Swimming Association was held last evening, Mr. J. F. Atkins presiding. The report of the deputation appointed to wait upon the Reserves Committee of the City Council with a view to the establishment of tepid baths in the city was to the effect that, although the members of the committee were in sympathy with the object, for- financial reasons they could not as yet consider the erection of such baths. With regard to the proposal to send a Dominion swimming team to Sydney next season, the secretary of the Canterbury Centre forwarded the suggestion "that the affiliated centres of the N.Z.A.S.A. agree to select representatives as follow : Auckland, Canterbury, and Wellington, each three ; Hawkes Bay, two; Nelson, Otago, Wanganui, and South Canterbury, each one. Also, that each centre pay to the N.Z.A.S.A. the necessary money to cover the cost of its respective representatives ; the N.Z.A.S.A. to appoint a manager and to pay the expenses of same ; the whole team to travel together, making Wellington the port of departure, and to be directly responsible to the N.Z.A.S.A." The approximate cost of sending three representatives from Wellington alone was stated to be £43 16s. The benefits of such a tour were referred to as follow :— "The idea of in* eluding all centres is that, as the first and main object of such a tour will be for the purpose of educating our swimmers up to the same level as our friends across the water, I have thought it only right and fair that the weaker centres should have the option of being represented in a Dominion team by its best man, even although that man might not be class enough to take part in any tests which may be arranged for, and could only compete in handicap events. . \ A trip of this description, if carried out, will be the means of improving the standard of our swimming over the whole of the Dominion, as each One who makes the trip will have an equal op portunity of learning the finei points of the art of swimming. . . The departure of the team could be so arranged that it would leave Wellington at the conclusion of the New Zealand championship meeting at Nelson, or the return home could be fixed to fit in with the beginning of the meeting. . ." Mr. Hill did not favour the sending away of a representative team from New Zealand, and stated that provided the necessary money was available he would sooner see men come over from Australia. He moved, "That th*e Welling.ton centre cannot see its way to agree with the proposal." In seconding the motion, Mr. T Shields brought forward the question as to whether it was not a matter for the governing body to deal with, it being its duty, as with other sports bodies, to arrange for the sending away of a Dominion representative team. He was in sympathy with any movement for the furtherance of the sport, but he considered that there were not sufficient high-class swimmers in the Dominion who, if sent over, could make a creditable showing. The time Was not yet ripe for the Wellington centre to vote such a sum as required. Mr. L. Blundell also opposed the proposal, and considered that if such a team was at any time sent, the smaller associations should be considered, as it was quite possible that some ver^ good men might be found in the less important districts. Mr. Smith considered it a faY wiser plan to engage a coach, and thought that a requisition to that effect should be made to the head centre. After other objections had been made, the motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Shields again protested against the delay caused ih issuing children's swimming certificates from headquarters. He stated that he had not yet received the certificates won by local school children last season, as well as some for previous seasons. Other members also instanced cases in which scholars had won certificates several seasons ago, but they had not yet been forwarded. The delay was so long in some cases that by the time they came to hand the ccholars had left school, and their whereabouts was then unknown to those awarding the certificates. It was decided that tho secretary be instructed to write to the Wellington delegate on the governing body asking him to again enquire into the matter, and, if necessary, to move that in future each centre award the certificates. Mention was made of the visit of the Hawaiian swimmer, Duke Kahanamoku, to Australia, and it was resolved to ask the N.Z.A.S.A. what steps weie being taken with a view to asking him to come across to New Zealand. Correspondence Was received with reference to some trouble over awarding the Atkins Cup in connection with the Ladies' Seagull Club. Mr. Collier Wa* instructed to approach the secretary and captain of the club and, after looking into the whole matter, bring dowh a report at the next meeting of the centre. On the motion of Mr. Hill, a record of the capable manner in which Mr. Shields managed the Wellington team which competed at the New Zealand championships at Wanganui, was placed on the minutes.