SWIMMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 6 April 1907, Page 8

SWIMMING.

The carnival held on (loud Friday will probably close the swimming -oa-on. so far as the Auckland clubs are concerned. In reviewing the season, it would Ik* idle to say that it has been a successful one, for, although it bar been, front all accounts. the iK'st summer experienced for a couple of seasons, the interest, displayed in swimming lias not been at all encouraging to those who have had charge of the sport. The reason for this is hard to find, though some swimmers are ready enough to make statements. Whatever the cause, tin? fact i- to !><• regretted that swimmers and committees have not combined more thoroughly-to pii'b the sport. At the beginning of (he season the City Club was formed. It started well, the committee were enthusiastic, and some of tfie most, successful club evening- v.ere held. 1 hen suddenly interest flagged, and nothing lias since been done. The committee declare that they lici not receive the .-upport, they should, and that being so. they did not feel justified in holding a carnival or further club evenings with the chance of a loss, of which a new club could not run the

risk. ! should person,illy have liked to havi

seen tlie City Club hold a carnival at tin- !:<•- ginning of the season, when tiny apparently had a good following. The Auck and ( entre, which was only formed this season, mainly, 1 believe, through my advocacy, to more efficiently control swimming. held a carnival about the end of .January, but, for -ome in-

explicable reason, the support accorded the gathering by swimmers, a- regards entering for the race-. wa« ve'.v poor, and this, notwithstanding- that swimmers were a.-k:-._r for a carnival. If for no other reason than to give the centre a good start, swimmers should have more largely supported the centres efforts, and until they do so the general public cannot I:? expected to attend. As an instance of what might be done bv swimmers supporting a committee in hold ing a gala, last flood Friday's gathering was n good example. The entries were surprisingly good, taking the previous gatherings this season as a criterion, and. as the public were well informed of this through these columns and handbills, there was a good attendance, with the result that there is over £12 to show as a credit balance, a highly satisfactory beginning for the Waileniafa Club, as it lias been decided to call it. t;> commence next sens with. The Y.M.C.A. Club, which did .-o much hist season, has only held a few club evenings, while the Auckland Club has done very little. In striking contrast to the gatherings held by the males have the functions of the ladies been. Without exception. all the latter. and they have been considerable tbi- year, have been well entered for, largely attended, and exceedingly well arranged and carried out. For this the ladies are to be hentily congratulated, and this feature of Auckland's swimming appears to be the most hopeful of all for the future. I trust, the ladies will not iu any way relax their efforts for next season, but. commence the following summer with a greater determination to further excel. The reason for the great success of the ladies' functions has been that swimming is indulged in purely as a pa-time, and it is considered an honour to win a race, and the amount, of the prize i- not, taken into consideration.

j The best remedy 1 can suggest for the improving of swimming is the establishment I of a district scheme, similar to football, and which I advocated at the beginning of the season. At that time sufficient interest had hardly Iw en roused Itefore the summer was rather well advanced, and, though Panic!! made a good effort, the support accorded | the enthusiasts was not. sufficient, and the j matter dropped. There is no reason vvny i the matter should not be taken tip early | next season, with every hope of success, i especially in l'onsonby and Parnell. at vvlr'ch | plates the erection of baths i- within i measurable distance. The commiiice of the Mount Lden school have abo been vvoiking j hard for a hath in the school grounds, and, j with the support already accorded them, I should see a bath at Mount Kden in the not i distant future. The Auckland Centre might | also agitate for the erection of a tepid bath j in tin' city, similar to that to be erected in I Christcburch, the construction of which was recently agreed to by the ratepayers by a j large majority. | Last. (iood Friday's carnival was well atj tended. The racing was gond. as were abo j lhe fields generally, with the re-ult that I some good finishes were witnessed. The j I'la-ier Handicap was win by A. Heaps. ! A... in gin 1 style, while the Barrett brothers tilled the second and third places. Tite boys' race was annexed by \Y. McQuillan, who had Bs. V. Robinson, with 2-.. pushed him hard, and finished a good second, while L. Frist torn, scratch, tilled third place. Robinson and Frist rom are two tine boys, and the making of a couple of good swimmers. The liobsoii Handicap was the most largely contested race, but in the final a regrettable incident occurred, which was accentuated after the back men I left- the water. W. (i ibl.'ons finished first. I but was disqualified for crossing R. Hell. j The race was virtually awarded to S. Little, ' but the whole race is to come up for review j before the centre on a report to he furni.-h- ---! Ed by the secretary of tie- carnival. Tin' ' 108 vi is handicap -aw a fine fiui-h in the ! final. W. M. flee-, who had is., and Keri ti'itt. s.-iatl-h. turned for the last lap almost I together, and the two fought every inch of ' the |u-t 36yds. the former gaining the verI diet by a mere touch, while Johnson, o*., 1 was a good third. ! A cable from Sydney on Wednesday staled j thai Dave Billiiigion. the Luglish champion ; swimmer, had issued a challenge to swim i any man in Au-tralnsa. R. Cavil! preferred, (her various distances, for a -lake of not It—s than £100. According to the Referee, the | champion stated that lie would probably re- ; main in Sydney about five or six weeks. After that lie would go to Queensland, and then, perhaps. to New Zealand. He intended givina- exhibitions, and would compete in malt he- if he could arrange any. lie mentioned Hick Cavil!- —who is now in Auckland as one whom lie would like to meet. The champion -ays lie is in good health, having thoroughly lecovered from the illness thai kept him in Melbourne hospital for three wce.k-. The Broken . Mill correspondent of the 1 Referee state-: "(icorge Read, , the Australian profes-iona I champion, is vi-it iug Sydney shortly. lie will leave Bioken Hill with the object of swimming l>. Hill inut on. the Knglisb champion, m Sydney water-. Rend saws he i- willing to race I'lllinglon over any distance front 300 yds upwards. Read has recovered from hi- recent indis- | position, and consider- himself in real good form." Mr. ("lias. Ba-tard. Adelaide'- greatest swimming enthusiast, is r<-porteil to '' !, y described Billington's stroke tluisly. and he is not far out It is unif|iie di-tim i I rom anything I have seen in my Muled ex perience. Billiiigion gives |,mi»elf_ a reiicn i every time lie takes a stroke. 'Sou would suppose he was in aaony, but. you observe I that lie i- making great pace. lie twist- hi- ! l-.odv, and the legs Hip. and von see him I drive forward a- though somebody hat! ! pushed him. Kiel ait -warn an lionet double I -tioke Si doe- Billington. <hie was noted i for hi- arm stroke; I'iillingt m's < haracteristic. a- I have said, is that peculiar wrenching movement ami the re-pon-ive turn of the leu-." . „ , , , As present it: ,T an idea of how the medical rol't—.-ion view swimming Dr. Col.pihoun'remarks are particularly interesting, says an | exchange. Willi regard to the exercise ol I swimming, be said that in the range of ath- | letic exercises none so tended lo develop | the muscles of the body and to bring the | body into a state of repair ami keep it there a- the e.\erci-e of swimming. It exerci-ed j the chief muscles of the body, expanded the I chest, and purified the blood. Of colir-e. | -wimming. like other athletic e\i had i to be taken with certain precautious. I lime I were some hov- ami girls who niu-t nece--I sarily be excused from it. Alt argument that ought to have great weight with the i citizen- was that those at the head of edit- ■ I catiotu'l mutters in the cclony had recog- ,

j n I*oil that swimming should ' aU<• it- place , lin th»> curriculum <-> the public school*. | | There were some tiling" in the school curri- j j culum that hi" would i i lv< to see blotted out j ' mi order to make time for swimming. A i in lit- ease of that gulla lit I'ov ivho.«i' art ion ; had to a large extent pushed tin's ipie-tlon I *i> a head (young Miillany. who 10-t hi- liie j ! while Irving to save a -<"■ liool-/11at■ • at Lake J ' Waihola). 011*' could not lie-In being -truck j ; with tile fact that the person who could n.it j ' -uitu not onlv lost i 1 i> own life, hut was j ' often the cause of the 10-s of other lives. | The lOOvds Club Championship of Lu-t i Sydi.ry. -ay- the l!e!V-rro. proved a splendid I 1 i ,ii ; * indeed. At 75yd.- Wirkham led ('cr'.l I | llealy. but })<»»•<• the hitter's superior stay ! ing powers prevailed, and he slowly, hut j : -urely. moved away to win by perhaps four j i yard-. Mill w»< half a-dozw yard" or more j 1 further oil', third. Harold Baker. 500 yds | • champion of Australasia and New South ! • Wales did not. for some reason, compete, j : and thus was the race roblx'd of much of j ; tilt* interest that would otherwi-e have at- | j taclied to it. for Maker was looked to to j j bring every ounce of Mealy'- power out. ! ! The winner toveied tin- distance fti 57 4 5-. j | - a new Australasian record (the previous j | be-.t wit* 58s.i and on y 1-5.-. slower than j i Ihe American Maiiiel-' world's figures. Later | I in the day Cecil llealy gave \\ ickham I I and his brolhot Beg. 4-. start, and essay j I ed the wiping out of Daniels' 100yd-. figure-, I but without success. The timekeeper re- | ' yorttxi 535. for the effort. I