SWIMMING ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21115, 24 February 1932, Page 15

SWIMMING ITEMS.

AUCKLANDERS' SUPERIORITY.

FINE EFFORT BY LINDSAY.

DECISIONS OF CONFERENCE.

The representative swimmers' splendid Ya Id hurst Shield triumph at the New Zealand national championship meeting in Timaru last week lias crowned the campaign by Auckland to capture the honour of inter-provincial swimming supremacy for tho year. At the junior and intermediate meeting in Wellington last month the city's youthful representatives deprived Otago of the War Memorial Shield so the winning of the senior trophy firmly establishes the ascendancy of Auckland's champions over tho leading performers of all other centres. Lindsay's time, 5m 22 3-ss, in the quarter-mile championship, was a fine performance. Considering the heaviness of the water and the length of the pool, it was equally as meritorious as a swim taking sni 7s at the most in the Auckland Tepid Baths. Bridson'a fastest tunc, 5m 13 3-ss, is shortly io be granted recognition as the national record, so that Lindsay would obviously set new figures if ' ie were given the opportunity of swimming in salt water. Moreover, liig winning time of 11m 35 3-5s for 880 yds. would be equivalent to about 11m 6s in salt water. His record, made in fresh water at Christchurch, is 11m ss, and his 23m 31 l-5s for a mile, equal to about 22m 445, would easily break his existing record. The comparative slowness of Lindsay's halfmile figures can lie attributed to the fact that he had already competed in the furlong championship earlier in the same evening. On the same basis Bridson, whose time for 220 yds. was 2m 27 4-ss, and for 100 yds 58s, should be able to register 2m 22s and 55s respectively. Remit Rejected.

The conference of delegates in Timaru last week rejected a Canterbury remit that the New Zealand Council should alter its rules in order to allow payments to the Overseas Representation Fund to bo suspended for two years. Had the remit been approved the chances of several swimmers travelling overseas within the next few years would have been seriously jeopardised. The fund, the money for which is obtained by the imposition of a levy of one shilling annually upon every senior swimmer, is used toward sending representatives from New Zealand to compete in swimming events at the Olympic and British Empire Games and at other international tournaments.

Another decision that will be well received by centres having control of national meetings from time to time is the discontinuance of granting individual prizes to members of winning teams in the water polo and flying squadron championships. The remit was presented by the New Zealand Council which stated that most players and swimmers, besides placing jhe interests of their team above everything else, considered themselves honoured if called upon to represent their province, and so did not expect any further reward.

It was also pointed out by the council that the presentation of trophies in this way would have the bad effect of breaking down team spirit, a quality that should never be lost. The abolition of the prizes will mean a saving of about £l4 to each controlling body. 50yds. Championship.

On tlie grounds that such a race does not constitute a real test of ability the conference rejected a request from the Hawke's Bay Centre for the inclusion of a 50yds. championship on the eemor championship programme. Mr. B. O'Neill, honorary secretary to the NewZealand Amateur Swimming Association, speaking against the proposal, said that swimmers obviously attached little importance to short distances as no attempt to set record figures for 50yds. and 50 metres had ever been made although both distances were among those for which the association recognised tecords.