IN BATHS AND SURF

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1932, Page 11

IN BATHS AND SURF

Newcomers to taranak.l

vat.ttf of LEARN-TO-SWIM week.

the T.ATffrey LIFE-SAVING CLUB.

(Sy

“Beltman.”)

.Thai; necessary annual function, th© general, meeting of the Swimming Centre, Bias , passed) again, it has been agreed, to .hold leam-to-s.wim week once more, and' the rules of the centre have been revised. That in effect is th© total of B-wiTrymi-ng activities for th© past week. Value of Learn-to-Swim Week. rTh© swimming centre would be well worth the trouble of organising if all it- ever controlled were learn-to-swim week. The development of “ratermindediness” as in the case of air-mind-edness, is taking a long time and much perseverance to accomplish, but it is safe to say that the annual week is now a valuable institution and that its worth is. recognised arid appreciated by the public as a whole. So far no appeal for funds has been necessary, and 'in hot likely to be, but there is no doubt that the inauguration of the yearly effort was one of the most worth-while works for the welfare of the province so far established. Letters received by the, centre from school authorities express unqualified (approval of instructors’ efforts and give indication of whole-hearted support for th© future. As far as can be seen the

only difficulty for 1933 will be to secure sufficient instructors and water-space. Westown is no keener than the other

Mew Plymouth schools, and Westown wants a large increase in its allocation. A* was pointed out at th© centre meeting, last year’s'time-table was hard tenbugh to arrange; to be fully successful this year it would seem learn-to-gwim week , will need to be extended to

a fortnight. Perhaps the best method of obviating the difficulties caused by too much popularity would be for harassed school teaxffiere'to try to have their more enthusiastic pupils safely .'taught before th© week begins, and let the instructors *‘clean up” the stubborn or less robust ones. Otherwise the second week in February is going to witness a “traffic ‘jam” at the various baths and waterbolea. ■ - z •-<

Swimming i■ . . >» Wihea Miss B. Gayton, centre secretary; reported the trouble experienced ip inflection with, primary school swimming certificates, she stated there had been some dissatisfaction over the delay. The work entailed in obtaining these. certificates was no light task and no •mall expense. , The New Zealand on the score of cost, left ’the more enthusiastic centres to find their own certificates and fight for the 'blocks for the printing thereof. Through no fault of anybody’s Taranaki could not secure the blocks until a week or two ego; and that was how the delay arose. Added to the work entailed in communicating with Other centres and in- printing was the task of distribution to'many schools throughout Taranaki and consulting the returns. Being secretary of the Taranaki Swimming Centre

ia.no sinecure.' Carnival (Date*. ( It appear* that most Thursdays and Saturdays from Christmas onwards will ba allotted for carnivals, with an occasional Wednesday for Hawera’s frequent functions. At present there are applications in fot two carnivals before ‘Christmas-— December 14 for Hawera and (December 17 for Eltham. If those 'neither of which can lay claim to, warm er temperatures thafa. New. Plymouth, can consider running carnivals, cannot the combined New 'Plymouth ■ W committee make an effort some Saturday before .the New Year to pay off part of the baths loan? Aftm* Christmas East End has asked for January 7, Eitzroy has asked for January T 9 (at Waitara) and January 21 (at . New ... Plymouth), Inglewood wants January 12 and New Plymouth i» to wait till February. January 14 is being avoided—-because of a particularly powerful counter-attraction in the person of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. Stratford’s Acquisition. Wttmam” has heard of the arrival at 'Stratford on transfer of R. Girling, z a prominent competitor in last season’s AWrwtts Kellerman Cup contest. Girling is no sluggard in the water, and St. George may find there will be more competition for his titles in 1933 than there Was in 1932. In addition 'Stratford, with (Robson and Girling, have the nucleus of a good relay team. It all depends upon what support the Stratford Club obtains' from the townspeople

and authorities and the training facilities. available as to whether th© improvement effected ■ last year will ■be continued. Newcomer for New Plymouth.

. .The New Plymouth Club have secured J. (Beaven 1 , .an ex-member of the, Gon■ville Club, Wanganui, who was recently transferred. Beaven has not taken an active part in swimming for some years, but he took part in the 50 yard® at the New Plymouth Club’s opening night, and besides good pace showed a better knowledge of turning than most of th© local swimmers. ! Visit from Maranui Man.

A visitor to New (Plymouth in the week-end was Mr. A. H. Ross, who has been actively • connected for some year* with the Marauui Surf Club, Wellington, and life-saving matters at Wellington) generally. Mr. Ross stated that it eeemed to be generally accepted at Wellington and elsewhere that the new surf association would be a success 1 and make for a general improvement in organisation. Club .Activities. > Work among clubs is going with a swing now. The New (Plymouth Club held its opening night, successfully, on Monday, and Eiteroy has been under way for a fortnight. East End and Inglewood will possibly hold their opening splashes on November 17. As for beach activities, the presence

of westerly ■winds ■ has been against organised work, but East End has given the lead by a run-out on the opening day, November 6. Eitzroy will make & etart this week-end and have the opening day the following week. Centre’s New Rules.

The new rules voted upon at the annual centre meeting last Thursday should serve a good purpose in bringing the original set up-to-date. The majority of rules were straightforward and were passed without discussion, but the last one—quoted, at the foot of a report oh the new rules elsewhere on this page gave modification of far-reaching effect on junior swimming in New Plymouth, As the matter is still sub judice, a confernce on the matter being about to be held, "Beltman” has.no comment. Ladies’ Life-Saving. The revival of the Ladies’ Life-Saving Chub at New Plymouth in conjunction with the Y.W.C.A. Club will be welcomed by New . Plymouth swimmers. Tha original dub existed because the

other swimming organisations did not then, cater for girls. When the other clubs admitted lady members, however, and carried on the work the L.L.S.C. had begun the latter body disbanded, because, as it was said, the need for it no longer existed. That, however, was hardly right; a club such as I the one recently' reorganised can do work still for Which the stronger clubs have not the aptitude —non-competitive swimming, for instance, and coaching •work among school girls. The Ladies Life-Saving and Y.W.C.A. Swimming dub can rely on support from the other New Plymouth bodies. Forthcoming Events. November 17 —East End opening night;Inglewood opening night. November 20: —Eitzroy Club’s opening beach day. ,