SWIMMING

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 60

SWIMMING

By

NEPTUNE.

EDUCATIONAL OFFICER’S TOUR. Mr S. James; honorary educational officer to the Otago Swimming Centre, has just returned from a visit to the principal country towns of Otago and Southland, where he interviewed the officials of the various clubs as well as the head masters of the schools. The report which he has submitted to his centre is lucid and to the point, and. would indicate that in some of the country towns, at least, swimming and the teaching of swimming is becoming more and ijjtjre popular. In Gore, Mr James reported, support appeared to be lukewarm, and the baths were badly patronised on account of so many swimmers preferring to bathe in the Mataura River. There were some good swimmers in Gore, but the scanty attendance at the baths had weakened the tendency for carnivals, with the result that these swimmers got very little racing practice to improve them. The schools visited were the Gore Public, East Gore, and Gore District. High, and at each of them keen enthusiasm was displayed, and the masters were glad to discuss (he matter of swimming in the schools. In Invercargill, Mr James stated, he was agreeably surprised at the widespread interest shown in swimming there, and he felt safe in predicting that when the new baths were opened there would be a very strong centre in Southland. Eight schools were visited, and there again the masters were, for the most part, entirely in sympathy with the movement to promote swimming in schools. There was no swimming club at Balclutha, but there seemed to be a movement on foot to form one. The baths were well natronised. and the bath’s custodian, Air J. A. Thomas, was very keen on teaching the children. The head masters of both the schools visited were interested in swimming in schools, and promised to have as many pupils as possible examined for proficiency certificates at an early date. In Milton Mr James was fortunate in securing the co-operation of Mr G. G. Menzies, the head master of the Milton High School, who is a keen supporter of swimming and life saving. Mr Alenzies has made each of his assistants responsible for the teaching of swimming at the baths which adjoin the school, and, in addition, has personally given instruction in the various methods of life saving, release, and resuscitation. He informed Air James that 50 pupils were already competent in land.,dr JI . He also requested that a team might visit Alilton at an early date for the purpose of giving an exhibition of swimming and diving, as there were many young swmmers there who would profit by seeing some of the experts in action. Two schools were visited in Oamaru. and also the Waitaki Boys and Girls High Schools and Redcastle School, -at all of which Mr . aines was promised hearty co-operation. All this is very encouraging, and Air James is to be commended on the painstaking ./av he conducted, his investigations, and also on the; comprehensive way in which his report is compiled. The Invercargill Swimming Club is going ahead by leaps and bounds, and doing much to foster and popularise the sport in the southern city. As an indication ot what the club is doing, it is interesting to note that th club officials are now considering building a retaining wall at Pleasure Bay so that anyone can indulge in swimming at this beautiful bath at any state of the tide. AUSTRALIAN v. NEW ZEALAND TIMES. The following comparisons between the times of Australian and New Zealand swimmers is interesting:—Jones (Australian) won the quarter-mile by a touch in the same time as Lindsay’s. Ihe 880yds bv 18sec, in time lOsec slower than the frosh New Zealand record, and the mile easily, 34 2-ssec slower than the time returned by Lindsay. The only distance over which Lindsay’s time is slower is. 220yds, Grier having won the Australian title by a touch with a swim 5 2-sscc faster—a very considerable margin. Over 100yds Adamson was slower than Henry by 2 2-ssec, both sprinters winning by a touch. Heard won the New Zealand breaststroke title with an effort Isec faster than that of Stedman, the Australian champion. Thus, New Zealand has three best performances against two anl honours are shared in the sixth instance. This is one of the very few years in which it ho« boon po<- : ' ‘o ■ the times of the two countries, and certainly proves that the op iurii.r. tm.v occurs for an interchange of champions.