SWIMMING (By "Floater.")

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 14

SWIMMING (By "Floater.")

The! Island Bay Surf and Life-saving Club is now established on a sound footing numerically, but, like all young institutions, it is up against the eternal question. How to raise funds for building a club house — which is essential to its welfare — is at present exercising the committee's ingenuity. Tickets aie now on sale for a "benefit* 1 night, which is to be given to the club in St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown, and as the club is working for the common good it is confidently i hoped that it will receive a fair measure of support from the residents of Island , Bay. The City Council has given its reel into the charge of the club while it is ion the beach. The council, however, for reasons best known to itself, refused I' the club's application for the right, to control the beach, with a view to ensuring that bathers and visitors always coni ducted themselves with propriety. As it is the club is in occupation, but is unable to raise its hand in admonition if anybody offends against public decency and decorum. Next season the City Council might do well to reconsider its decision. j There was mention of the "great [ eternal"— a bathing costume to suit the eyes of all men — at the last meeting of the New Zealand Swimming Council in the Cathedral city. Mr. J. R. Buchanan set the ball rolling by moving — "That in ladies costumes a shaped arm at least three inches long shall be inserted, and the costume shall be cut straight round the neck. In public competitions a skirt not less than four inches above the knee must be added, or the Canadian costume must be worn. Ladies' costume stewards shall be appointed for all public competitions." Mr. F. H. Stokes seconded the motion pro forma, while Mr. Rich moved as an amendment — "That at all carnivals where ladies' races are held, ladies' costumes stewards, shall be appointed." Mi-. Williams moved to add further — "That ladies shall go cloaked to the post . in all heats in which they may be engaged, and shall resume their cloaks immediately on leaving the water." The amendment, with the addition, was carried. Several matters of interest were decided at the last meeting of the N^w Zealand Swimming Council. On the motion of Mr. Vincent, it was decided : 'That the 200 metres be the recognised distance for the championship breast sfrol-e event, in lieu of the present 220 vi*b distance, ami that tho standard time for such event be 3min 39sec.'' It was also moved : "That Rule 8, subsection (c) be amended by deleting the words 'council and must be paid within 28 days of the closing of entries,' in the third and fourth lines of the said sub-section, and inserting in place thereof tho words, 'centre conducting the championships.' " The mover said that the object was to provide that the championship entry fees should be paid to the centre conducting the championships, and not, as at present,- to the council. The motion was not seconded, and lapsed. The Amateur Swimming Union of Australia wrote that C. Atkinson's time for the 220 yds bieast stioke at the recent New Zealand Championship Meat■iSS (3min -7aec) cojutitiued an Auatrai

lasian recoid, the best time in Australia being 3min lOsec, made by E. G. Finlay, at Brisbane. The union did not. however, possess any power to recognise Australasian records, but the union was prepared, to co-operate with the New I Zealand Association in drawing up such records. If was agreed to forward the information, and co-operate with the j union in the matter. i The Hawkes Bay Centre applied for the recognition of the record put up { 1 by M. E. Champion, at N"apier on 28th February, !>y doing the 100 yds in 60sec. As the race was a handicap event, the council decided that it could not recog- j ! vise tbe lecord. I