SWIMMING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19373, 8 January 1925, Page 4

SWIMMING.

By Neptune. There hag been littlo to complain of in tho weather lately, and a fmo surf has been running at St. Clair during tho weekend. 'Jho flags were in position, and the life lines wcro ready for instant use, hut, happily, they wore not needed. Tho reels, I am told, have just been painted. This seaside club is progressing at a remarkable rate, and largo numbers of lady swimmers are a.lso joining up. Just now there is a patch of deop water not far o„ from tho boach, and a littlo beyond ilnu is a bar which bathers would do well (o avoid, as there is almost certain to be a nasty current sweeping round it. On Sunday last two bathers at Brighton ventured beyond Barney’s Island at low tide, and to people on tho beach they appoared to bo in trouble. Accordingly, I). "Whitson and S. Fogg took tho life lino out, and .assisted ono of tho .swimmers who protested that he did not require their services. Afterwards, however, ho admitted that ho was glad of their help. Although there have been no complaints of late, it has boon necessary' on one or two occasions for members of committee of the St. Clair Club to warn bathers that their costumes are not exactly what they should ho. Thero are buttons on the shoulder straps, and theso are meant to bo fastened. Some years ago members of the committee wore granted the powers of special constables on the beach, and could, if they saw lit, make arrests. They are still vested in this right. Again, it would bo a great pity if tho Dominion Board forbade sun bathing, as this constitutes ono of the most enjoyable parts of a dip, and it is while sun bathing that bathers are tempted to discard tho upper part of their costumes, For some two seasons past (remarks “Header” in the Evening Post) tho question 0 f 'bringing tho Now Zealand Association’s handbook up to date has engaged the attention of tho various centres, and at the annual conferences remits to the effect that this hook should be reprinted have been unanimously favoured and forwarded to the council for consideration. The latter body has fully discussed the question, and as a result is is submitting to centre secretaries two proposals put forward by Mr Baxter O’Neill, which should eventually lead to something being accomplished in the manner desired. At the present time the positon with regard to the handbook is this;—lt was issued four years ago, and tho volume of amendments to tho rules since then is so considerable that from tho point of view of the rules the handbook has become very unreliable. I'Tom the point of viow of Now Zealand records and standards, and also world’s records, it is now useless, a s the information under these heads has long since become obsolete. This information is kept up to date in tho association’s annual report each year, but tho issue of tho reports is necessarily limited, and there are not sufficient copies available for it to be generally useful. In addition to these aspects, there is this important consideration: Assuming (hat the council could manage to reprint the handbook in its present form (a most unlikely contingency) the problem would not bo solved, for a year lienee the information would in many respects ho again obsolete, and the need for an up-to-date handbook would again assert itself. Tho council is simply tinkering wth (ho problem and perpetuating its disadvantages by sticking to the present method. Mr O’Neill suggests that the council and tho centres, acting in co-operation, should endeavour to issue a new handbook every year on such a basis (but it would automatically pay for itself, involving neither the council nor centres in expense and providing just sufficient copies to meet tlio annual demand. At present tho council issues an annual report each year, and many of tho centres also print their annual reports. Ho suggests, as regards those reports, that they should no longer bo issued separately, but should bo all ririnted in the handbook. This would involve a change of procedure to this extent—that tho council’s annual report would have to bo submitted to tho annual meeting morelv as a typed document, and tho reports of centres (.ho same all being afterwards printed in tho handbook. In addition to tho report? the hnndteok would contain all tho matter now contained in the annual report of the council; it would contain also all tho information an to centre championships, etc., now contained in centre reports. Thus, n man having tho handbook would bo equipped with the most up-to-date information as to world’s records, Now Zealand records, standards, eta. Now Zealand championship results, centre championship results, etc. This certainly seems a good way out of tho difficulty, and as tho estimated cost per copy is only 2s, there should bo a rondy_ sale for it seeing that it would contain so much information. During tho championship meeting at Christchurch a conference of centre secretaries will fully discuss Mr O’Neill’s proposal, and there should lie littlo difficulty in evolving a handbook that will meet all rerruirements. Although young Athol Coppleson won the New South Wales 100yds amateur swimming championship last season, his performance then was regarded generally as something of a fluke. But as ho swam 100yds tho other day in Sydncv in 57 4-ssec, without any preliminary training, his onlv p-ovious swimming being in (ho surf—surfing does not tend to improve a sprinter—the “heads” are sitting up and - taking, notice. WATER POTT) RULES. Free, penalty, and goal and corner throws are awarded for various breaches of play Os follows; Free Throws.—The penalty for each foul shall ho a free throw to the opposing side from tho place where (ho foul occurred. The referee declares (ho foul, and the player nearest to wiioro such foul occurred shall take the throw. The other players shall remain in their respective positions from the blowing of tho whistle until the bail has left the hand of tho player talcing the throw. A free throw shall bo such os, in tho opinion of tho referee, allows all players to see when the ball loaves the hand of tho thrower. In tho event of illness, accident, or of on© or more players from each team committing a foul so nearly at the same moment as to make it impossible for tho referee to distinguish who offended first, he shall have the ball out of the water and throw it in as nearly as possible at tho place where tho foul occurred, in such a manner that ono momflor of each team shall have equal chance of playing the ball. In such cases the ball must bo allowed to touch the water before it is handled. In all cases whore a free throw is allowed, tho ball must bo handled (played with tho hand below the wrist) by more than one player before a goal can bo scored. Penalty Throw.—A player wilfully fouled when within four yards of his opponents’ goal line shall bo awarded a penalty throw, and the player who commits tho offence must bo ordered out of the water until a goal has been scored. Tho player to whom a penalty throw is awarded shall proceed to any point on the four-yard lino and await tho signal of the referee. In the case of a penalty throw it shall not bo necessary for the ball to bo handled by any other player before a goal can bo scored, hut any player within the fouryard line may intercept a penalty throw. Goal and Comer Throws. —A player throwing the ball over his own goal-lino shall concede a free comer throw to his opponents, and such free comer throw shall ho taken from the two-yard lino at the side of the bat.lT by the player on the opposing side nearest tho point where the ball leaves the field of play. If tho attacking side throw tho ball over it shall bo a free goal throw to their opponents’ goalkeeper, who must pass tho hall to another player on or beyond the two-yard lino. The whistle must bo 'blown immediately tho ball crosses tho goal lino, and from that time until tho , ball leaves the hand of the player taking the free throw all players must remain in their respective positions. If a goalkeeper puts the ball in play by a free throw, and, before any other player has handled, regains possession and allows it to pass through his goal, a corner throw shall bo awarded to the opposing side.