ACCIDENT LIABILITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25036, 28 October 1944, Page 5

ACCIDENT LIABILITY

s SWIMMING CLUBS' PROBLEM r "What is tho liability on clubs for accidents suffered by competitors or spectators at car-' h nivals?" asked Mr C. Atkinson, of Hawke's Bay, at the annual conference of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association in . Christchurch. .when he said that the general question should be discussed to safeguard z clubs and the owners of baths. The speaker * added that in Hawke's Bay recently a club " member was badly injured in an accident at " a carnival and the member's parents were * taking legal action against the club. Clubs / or centres needed protection against accidents / arising out of slippery .loors or dangerous J stunts There was a clear legal liability on clubs in certain cases. When a temporary stand collapsed at a e boxing tournament in Southland nine spece tators were injured, and the local Boxing r Association went out of existence, said Mr y J C. Kirkland. Sports bodies could be covered i- against such contingencies quite cheaply, d It was suggested that tho council should it seek legal advice on tho types of insurance 0 cover required to protect clubs and centres s against accidents suffered by members or specs tators, and that this information should be passed on to centres and clubs for the reqnie site action The principle was approved, and )• the drafting of a formal resolution was left •s to a sub-committee. 1 SWIMMING EDUCATION LARGER GRANT REQUIRED !' With the educational work expanding every " season, more money was needed if activities „ were not, to be hampered, said Mr N. N. Oldershaw, moving, on behalf of the Wellington Centre at the annual conference of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. ; that the Government should be asked for an additional grant. He declared that the present grant of C."»i»f> was totally inadequate for the amount of work in sight. . The trend today was for more and more of Hie early swimming training to bo done in the schools by the schools, said Mr ,T. C Kirkland He had found little evidence that clubs were doing a great deal, and in only thrre cases, apparently, were crippled children being coached If the association sought more k money it might be countered by the reply that the training was being given by the schools. He thought tho best claim the asso- « ciation could make for funds would be on concrete evidence of work which required doing. He did not suggest that the clubs were not doing their work, but apparently were not reporting on what they wcro doing. ) The association's work was of national Importance and could not bo assessed in terms of money, paid Mr J. B. Cotterill, M.P. He thought this national aspect was enough to commend the work to tho Government. The Wellington Centre's motion was carried.