OTAUTAU

Southland Times, Issue 23379, 10 December 1937, Page 15

OTAUTAU

OFFICIAL OPENING OF SWIMMING BATHS SOUTHLAND CHAMPIONS TAKE PART The official opening of the Otautau public baths was held in fine weather. There was a big attendance, including several Southland champions and re-cord-holders from Invercargill. Mr R. Stewart was president. Mr A. A. Liddell, chairman of the Town Board, performed the opening ceremony. Mr Liddell said that the suggestion to build the baths had first come from Mr J. Thomson, who had been mainly responsible for their erection. Credit was also due to the builders. Mr Liddell took the first dive. Mr H. W. Ashley, president of the Southland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, returned thanks for the invitation to be present, and extended an invitation to all to be present in Invercargill during the “Learn to Swim” Week. The club was affiliated with the centre, and its members were entitled to compete in the championships, provided they could come up to the required standard. If at any time the Otautau Club was holding a carnival he would be only too pleased to assist in any way.. Mr Thomson, patron of the club, paid a tribute to the Progressive League, under the supervision of which the baths were constructed. He also mentioned that Mr J. G. C. Baker had given assistance in taking the levels and laying out the plan, in addition to suggesting that they be made metre length, the first, in fact, to be so constructed in New Zealand.

The following swimmers gave exhibitions of the various strokes during the afternoon: Miss C. Lynch (New Zealand intermediate champion) and K. Shaw (New Zealand intermediate boys’ champion), breaststroke; A. V. Osmond, butterfly stroke; Miss N. Basstian (New Zealand champion), backstroke; Miss Westerby (New Zealand junior recordholder) backstroke: Miss J. Macdonald (nominee for the Empire Games), D. C. Berry (Southland 100-metre backstroke record-holder), A. Brown and C. Martin, backstroke. An exhibition of still-water life-savin? was also given by D. Davis and A. Mair. Following were the winners of the various events:

25 metres (bovs).—First heat: Kirkland (Invercargill 1 1. Ballam 2, Fisher 3. Second heat: Perham (Invercargill) 1. Healey 2. Silverwood 3. Third heat: Millar 1, McDonald (Invercarcill) 2. Kennedy 3. Final: Perham 1, Kirkland 2, Healey 3. 25 metres (girls).—Eileen Ballam 1. Molly Gutschlag 2, Margaret Ballam 3. 100 metres (open).—First heat: Osmond 1. Glennie 2. Second heat: Malthus 1, Miss J. Macdonald 2. Third heat: Wilson 1, Springford 2. Final: Malthus 1. Osmond 2, Springford 3. Time, 1.22 4-5.

Junior Dive (Open).—D. Kirkland 1, J. McDonald 2, E. Kennedy and E. Batchelor 2 eq. 50 metres (women). —First heat: Miss Baker 1, Miss Gutschlag 2. Second heat:

Miss C. Lynch 1, Miss Malvey 2, Miss McGrath 3. Final: Miss C. Lynch 1, Miss M. Gutschlag 2, Miss Malvey 3. Time, 1.0 4-5.

50 metres breaststroke (open).—First heat: Osmond 1, Lynch 2, Shaw 3. Second heat: W. Smart 1, J. von Tunzelman 2. Final: Osmond 1, Smart 2, Shaw 3. Time, 0.47 1-5. Open Dive. —Springford 1, Branks 2, Smart 3. 50 metres (open).—lrwin (0.41 4-5), A. Collie (0.46), W. Smart (0.50 2-5), C. Hope (0.55 2-5), J. Wesney (0.61 2-5), and J. von Tunzelman (0.64 2-5). Relay Race.—Otautau No. 1 team (Mrs Stewart, Messrs V. Bailey, W. Smart and A. Broad) 1, Southland No. 1 2, Otautau No. 23, Southland No. 2 4. Time, I.IIJ. GARDEN PARTY The Ladies’ Guild of the Otautau Presbyterian Church held a successful garden party on the recreation ground. There was a big attendance. The following had charge of the various stalls: Sweets, Mesdames J. Campbell, C. H. Hill and Mr D. Gould; cake, Mesdames A. D. Brash and H. A. Bone; chain stepping, Messrs A. D. Brash and M. Coulter; afternoon tea, Mesdames A. Chilton, B. J. Smith, Collie, John Lindsay, J. Thomson, R. Brown and M. Coulter; Christmas tree, Misses M. Smart and C. Jellyman; vegetables, etc., Mrs Smellie, Misses Collie and Thomson; fruit salad and soft drinks, Mesdames E. Jellyman and Hope; miniature croquet, Misses Donnan and Shaw; bowls, Mr J. Thomson.

Following were the winners of the competitions.—Chain stepping, Mrs A. A. Liddell; doll, Mr L. Thwaites; croquet, Miss A. Collie; doll, Miss A. Ferguson; cushion, Mrs Hamlin; bull board. Miss M. Jellyman, Messrs Parkes and W. Murray.