SWIMMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11229, 25 November 1899, Page 7

SWIMMING.

The matter of the grant in aid of the swimming associations for the encouragement of swimming is hung up for the present. It was notified in this column that Mr. St. Clair had made application for a grant of £100. Ho has since received a reply from the Minister for Education, asking for a suggestion as to the most suitable method of spending the money ill connection with the public schools. This appears to be a distinct violation of the terms of the vote, for- the encouragement of swimming and which was for swimming associations, and was applied for as a right by the senior Human; Society of New Zealand, which should be on at least equal terms with the younger society, the Now Zealand Royal Humane Society. On receiving this communication, Mr. St, Clair immediately lodged a caveat against any such diversion ot the vote as was proposed. The Premier, in the House, while resisting the suggestion that ho should recommend swimming associations also for the prefix " Royal," stated that there was no precedent for such a course, and intimated that ho could only anticipate a refusal of the application. It may, however, be remarked in this connection that yachting clubs continued to receive the title of Royal long after they were of any practical service to the State. Mr. G. J, 0. Smart, of Christdhureli, lias wired to Auckland that the Christchureh centre was not in favour ot the proposal to make provision foi equal voting power in the amalgamation at present unde. discussion by the associations of North and South. This is a most injudicious attitudo 011 the part of the Christohurch centra, as upon reflection they will observe that at the present time- Auckland has a voting powei equal' to the whole voting power ot the colony; therefore, why should Auckland surrender their present-privileges to . take another position less than that of provincial equality? The prevision cannot in any way prejudice Christ-, church, and by. taking up their present attitude they are likely to cause a breach between Canterbury, Wellington, and Hawke's Bay. •. Mr. Smart, brother-of Mr. G. Smart, has arrived from ■ Christchurch, and while hero ; will doubtless discuss swimming matters with | the Auckland Swimming Club. I

| It is said (remarks the Sydney Bulletin) j that the offer of a good berth has lured champion swimmer 11 Freddie" Lane into . staying " down under," and we may not see i him again for long. England now holds the I three best swimmers Australia ever had-. Percy Cavill, Jack Hellings, and Lane she also possesses most of our crack nags, and will own them ere long, apparently. Barring Stanbury, who is evidently out of the game for good, we haven't got a high-class sculler left; and what about the dozens of chamI pion bruisers of less than a decade back? I Where aro they? All at 'Ome or in Yankceland. The latest to go was professional champion swimmer " Sid" Cavill, who left recently for San Francisco. And no one ccmes along to fill the breach. | j [