SWIMMING

Southland Times, Issue 19389, 1 November 1924, Page 15 (Supplement)

SWIMMING

(By

“Trudgeon Crawl.”

At a Committee meeting of the I.S.C. held on Thursday evening, it was decided to go in for a‘lengthy list of improvements at Pleasure Bay. This will be the local open-air resort for years to come, and it is only right that it should be made presentable. The life-saving class is making rapid strides and Mrs Turner is now assisted by Mr James Fyfe who has had wide experience in Scotland. The class mets in the Y.M.CA. Rooms on Thursday evenings at 7.30 o’clock, and new members are always welcome. The students are all enthusiastic. It is said that the North Swimming Club is not likely |o be active this season. This is a great pity, for the Waihopai Pool is a fine place to hold carnivals. For some reason or other the North Club has always been a bit patchy. It has failed to realise the opportunities open to it. Probably the fact that it is outside the residential quarter of the town has militated against its success. A few years ago a great splash was made, the high diving platform was erected, the chute put up, an excellent springboard procured, and other improvements. But this was merely a flash in the pan. After so great an effort the Club became tired, and now the glory is. departed. Avenal has to fight for every inch it gets and it does fight, too. I understand the Committee have had to do a great deal of work one way and another this season, to get the place in order. By the way a section of the public talk—and it’s only talk anyway—you’d think the Tepid aßths are to be built next week. For such a good reason, this section of the people are willing to laugh at the resorts and find them this, that, and the other thing. But does this section of the general public realise that the local resorts are the only place one can swim in at present, and for goodness knows how many seasons yet. There isno mistaking the usefulness of tepid baths, and the clubs would like to see this splendid castle in the air materialise. But there are people who have varied objections. It is stated that when the baths are built they will be the most up-to-date in the Dominion. There will be a continued inflow of water, and the surface will have a ripple. At least this is what I have heard on the very best authority. Summer-time is outdoor time. Summer is here to-day. Don’t argue about Pleasure Bay, Avenal, and Waihopai Pool, but go along and try them out. Don’t say Riverton Beach is too far, get there somehow. When you try to siw:— I. Don’t hold your head up—if you do you’ll sink. Close your mouth and put ycur head under the water. 2. Don’t try to touch the sea-floor with your feet. If you do, your arm-strokes will be useless. Throw up your legs and don’t worry if your head goes under. 3. Don’t talk—if you do, you’ll get a mouthful—and you’ll deserve it. 4. Don’t try to swim. Throw yourself on the water and it will do the rest. You won’t sink unless you try to keep your head up, or touch the sea-floor with your feet. “It is so easy to handle a person in the water, that is, if the person will only keep still, that a child could tow an adult ashore using fingers only,.’ said Mr James Fyfe at the life-saving class on Thursday evening. And in the same way people could be taught to swim without any trouble, if they’d simply keep still, and do what they were told. But it seems that numbers would sooner bob about in the water, and make no attempt to learn, thus wasting both valuable time and energy. An enthusiastic meeting was held last week at Otautau for the, purpose of discussing the formation of a swimming club. Mr W. J. Wesney, who was voted to the chair, stated that the idwea had originated from a suggestion by Mr Ballam, and the matter had been enthusiastically taken up. A Committee had been set up to go into the question of a footbridge and a suitable swimming pool. Messrs Francis Ballam, J. Scatter, and himself had been unanimous both as regards the site of the footbridge and the pool. The pool selected was 150 yards long, and lent itself for a fine spot to hold swimming contests. Ways and means would have to be gone into to provide suitable dressing sheds. On the motion of Messrs Allison and Hope it was unanimously decided that a club be formed, and that it be called “The Otautau Amateur Swimming Club. The following officebearers were elected: —Patron, Mr W. A. E. H. Fraser; president, Mr A. Rowe; vice-presidents, Messrs D. ’ Ballam and D. McCrostie; secretary, Mr O. Longuet; treasurer, Mr Francis; Committee—president, vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, Misses Fisher, Burns, Kirpatrick, Renowden, M. Arthur, and Barrett, Messrs Bone, Ottrey, J. Scatter, W. J. Wesney, J. Pulley, A. Coulter, J. Matheson, D. Stewart, and G. Fraser. At a Committee meeting held subsequently it was decided that a 16ft by Bft shed be erected, with a pavilion. The official opening was fixed for November 1. Wellington has 15 swimming clubs affiliated to the centre, though they are not all in the city, or even in the suburbs. The Waitemata (Auckland) Club has a membership of 336, comprising 83 seniors, 226 ladies and juniors, 18 associate, and nine honorary members. « Commenting on Charlton’s decision to retire from swimming, ’“Amphibian,” in the the New Zealand Aquatic, says that no previous champion—and Australia has had half a dozen of them—has a trip to England and Europe, and then declined to compete any further. All along, Charlton’s parents have made heavy acceptance of the responsibility of the parentage of a champion athlete. The bogey undoubtedly is the lamented death of Kiernan at Brisbane shortly after his return from a visit to England. The cause of Kiernan’s death has never been' definitely fixed. It may or may not have been induced by over-strain. Other swimmers, notably Beaurepaire have made two trips to England, with along the journeys as a break in five seasons’ continuous swimming and suffered no great harm. Malcolm Champion stood up to a similar experience, and at his next appearance in the Dominion championships at Wanganui swam better than ever. It is for Charlton and his guardians to make the decision. At the same time they should be acquainted with the disappointment of all Australia, who stood behind Charlton, sentimentally and financially, in his sucessful attempt to win Olympic honour. The Dunedin Amateur Swimming Club has applied to the centre for permission to hold two carnivals during the coming season, one on November 27 and another on February 7. A polo match will be included in the first carnival, and this should prove an interesting contest, as strong teams will be selected. This club has practically mapped out its programme for the season, and besides this all its fees have been paid, including the new registration levy of one shilling per head. The officials are to be congratulated on their business-like methods. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Council will be held in Christchurch on November 28. The posters for the New Zealand Championships have not yet come to hand, though according to the rules they should be issued four months before the championship takes place. I have often wondered why no publicity is given to the business dealt with at the

meetings of the Otago Centre of the N.Z.A.BA. In most other towns meetings of the local centres are invariably open to the Press, and the public can get a fair idea of what is being done to faster the sport. Surely more people would take a greater interest in the activities of the Otago Centre if its meetings were reported.