N.Z.E.I.

Grey River Argus, 7 December 1932, Page 6

N.Z.E.I.

GREY BRANCH. TJie monthly meeting of the Grey Branch. N.Z E.L, was held on Saturday at Trinity Hall. The President, Mr ColviH", presided, and a considerable amount o';' important business was transacted. Details of the holding of tlie Scoiy Memorial Essay Competition were finalis' d, and the competition will be held at an early date. Th” President reported that ihe efforts of the Branch Io have, the d don Medal conpi >■ ed tor in the schools to which the pupils belonged, had been Mi'ccssful. and in vonsequenc” of th“ Institute’s activity, the competition this vear was being held in conjunction with the Proficiency examinations at present being conduct'd in the various schools. The mater of “school” swimming has been receiving a considerable amount off at tent ion, and. as a result of steps taken earlu'r in the year, the Institute is now represented on the West Coast Swimming Centre, and during Saturday’s meeting of the Grey Branch Institute, a. deputation consisting of Messrs Egglcton and Griffen, from the West Coast Swimming Centre was received and welcomed by the President. The meeting then de vol oped into a round-table cortference, and various interesting and valuable suggestions re the teaching of swimming were made. Air Griffen sponsored the motion of members of the* various swimming clubs each taking one school boy or girl, and teaching that pupil the simpler strokes in swimming, and later taking charge of anoth”r pupil. Mr Egglcton stressed the point that the idea was not to coach merely a 'few competition swimmers, but rather to give all “water-minded” children a chance to learn at least the rudiments of th e art. Mr Colville suggested that a swimming carnival be held with events that would rouse the interest, and so induce the entry of a large num ebr of water-loving, if not yet swimming. boys and girls. Messrs Laing and McCullough men fioned the difficulty of arranging in struction periods convenient both to the honorary instructors, and to the school children, owing to the inelasticity of Hie school time-tables. All teachers present were in sympathy with the aims of the deputation from the Swimming Centre, and it was decided that a subcommittee of the Grey , Branch Institute, consisting of the ; President, Mr Colville, Miss Cornwall and Messrs Laing and McCullough, with power to add 1o their number, meet a committee from the West Coast Swimming Centre on Saturday, 10th

December, to go further into' the. mat ter of finding ways and means of assisting the teaching of swimming in the schools. Tn reply to a question. Mr Griffen stated that swimming certificates won las| season, would be paid for by Ihr Centr'’. am| forwarded for ]»resenl atio T | t° the winners; but that future winners would be required to pay sixpence ’for each certificate. A hearty vote of thanks. earrU'd by acclamation, was accorded to Messrs Eggletori and Griffen, for their attendance. their offered assistance, and T° r the helpful information they had im pa rt p d. Before closing the molding, I In- final for this year, the. President wished nil present the compliments of the- season, which expression of goodwill was heart- ! ily reciprocated by the members off the k Branch,