SWIMMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14525, 12 November 1910, Page 9

SWIMMING.

LIFE-SAVING CLASSES. Tho classes for life-saving instructions will be continued next week, commencing on Monday for men, and Tuesday for ladies, in the Leys' Institute. Examinations for these classes will be held towards the end of December. A public meeting has been convened by tho Mayor of Northcote (Mr. H. Cadness) for next Wednesday evening. The secretary of the Auckland head centre (Mr. Paul McNamee) will give a lecture on the aims and objects of the society. It is intended to form a Northcote committee to control the work of the society in the district, and the local centre will send an instructor at least once a week to teach the classes.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. There is an influx of visiting swimmers to Auckland this year, the latest additions being W. Wilton, a member of last year's committee of tho Wellington Amateur Swimming Club, his parents being custodians of Te Aro baths, and D. Anderson, a recent arrival from England, who has been in tho water on a couple of occasions lately, and was seen to advantage, having a number of strokes at his command. He possesses a very speedy single overarm stroke. Mr. Wm. Henry left Wanganui last evening, expecting to reach Napier to-day. If he arrives there in time the Napier Swimming Club intends to hold a carnival under his patronage this afternoon. From Napier he proceeds to Wellington, from which centre he leaves next Saturday for Christchurch. Through the courtsey of the Auckland head centre of the Royal Live-saving Society, Mr. Mulvihill, secretary of the Auckland centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, extended a welcome to Mr. Henry on behalf or the amateur swimmers of New Zealand. Mr. Mulvihill explained thai, he recognised that there was sufficient scope for both the Life-saving Society and the Amateur Swimming centre, and also that the humane branch was in the hands of those most interested and most qualified to do the work, and on those grounds there was no intention on the part of the Auckland centre to interfere with the function of the Life-saving Society. They were prepared to work in unison. The visit of Mr. Henry recalls the fact that some 12 years ago there was a lifesaving boom in this city, under the auspices of the Auckland Swimming Club, Mr. Roland St. Clair being the prime mover, and much valuable work was done under a similar system to the present one. No applications, however, < were made for medallions or certificates. Again, at * later period, about six years ago» members of tho Northern Swimming Club interested themselves in the movement, and it is only about 12 months ago that crayon drawings, executed and presented by Dr. Gore Gillon, illustrating tho life-saving methods, were taken from the lobby of the Albert-street Baths. ' Through- adverse circumstances both clubs became defunct, and tho lifesaving movement died with them. It is sincerely hoped the presents movement is but the foundation of a wide-spread aud permanent organisation. A suggestion has come from Canterbury that a back-stroke championship be included in the list of New Zealand championships. This race creates a great deal of interest in England, and F. A. Unwin is probably the greatest living exponent of this particular} stroke. If the event is introduced, C. Atkinson, of Opawa Club, Christchurch, will be a very hard man to overcome. One of his feats last year was in private training to cover a-quarter of a mile in seven minutes, taking half the distance on the breast and the other half on the back.

The Waiteinata Club intends to introduce the junior championship again this year. It was relinquished for the past two seasons, because on form the event looked a certainty for one or two seniors. This year the competition is likely to bo more open. Wellington and Wanganui aro the only applicants for the New Zealand championship meeting this year. The opinion prevails locally that Wellington will be granted the meeting. The local committee is making very complete arrangements for Mr. Henry's visit to Cliristchurch (says the Canterbury Times). It is anticipated that some 200 candidates will be presented here for the various certificates, including a number of girls and ladies. It is intended to hold several displays at the municipal tepid baths, as well as a public meeting and demonstration by Mr. Henry, who will speak on the merits of life-saving and the needs of forming a New Zealand head centre. j Walter Champion (brother of Malcolm) is being transferred from the Boulder Bank (NJson) lighthouse to Manutau Heads, and will, when opportunity offers, assist at local carnivals. He represented Wellington in water polo at Timaru, in the 1908-9 season. Considering the advent of Kewley and W. Champion, Auckland, should do more in this branch of sport this season. Mr. T. Shields, at the annual meeting of the Wellington centre, brought up the question of daylight saving, and he expressed the opinion that if daily toil ceased two hours earlier in the summer months than at present, much more attention would be paid to swimming matters. The local swimmers are entirely favourable to the proposal. Fancy leaving off work on a midsummer's day in time to have a dip off Shelly or Cheltenham Beach at 3.30 p.m. There is no possibility of swimmers opposing the daylight saving scheme. The late Mr. W. K. Duncan, of Christchurch, will bo sadly missed in swimming circles this season. Although one of Christchurch's leading business men he found time to officiate every Saturday during the season, as inter-club handicapper. Last year he created an unusual precedent, and was joined by Mr. L. A. G. Rich, by handing over their honoraria, amounting to £15 15s, to the touring fund of the centre. This amount alone sent four men to compete in last season's New Zealand championships at Auckland. Mr. Duncan acted as an official at that meeting. Reg. Healy now fills tho position of captain of the Thorndon (Wellington) Swimming Club. Being provincial champion over all distances excepting 100 yards, captain of tho Thorndon polo team (winners of the provincial tournament), and a diver of no mean order, Healy's versatility should serve him well in his new capacity. , . Sydney Club has great hopes of securing from the redoubtable East Sydney Club the pennant championship of New South Wales. Their team for the 500 yds premiership is as follows:—Hardwick (575.), Solomons (585.), Hill (605.), Barry (59 3-55.), and Boardman KQ« \ Taking these figures as a guide, the Sfcal 4m- 55 4-5s looks better than the present record of sm. 45., which stands to thT credit of the present holders, East Sydney, '..*