SWIMMING.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12910, 26 February 1906, Page 6

SWIMMING.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHIELD

Au interesting, ami it is Imped a useful, contest in swimming was held at the freshwater baths 0:1 .Saturday afternoon. Two or thtee years ago the "Government voted a sum of" monev to be' distributed among the education districts f< r the encourage inept of swimming, as an extra subject in the primary schools. The South Canterbury Board found it very difficult to decide" how their share of the vote should be spent, and consequently it- was held until now. A short time ago it was decided, en the suggestion of lite chairman if we recollect aright, to spend the nimum j in procuring a nice challenge shield, to be competed for by the several school*, and retained by each winner fur the year succeeding the contest. The order f«r the shield was given to Mr McXab. wh<> has turned out a covetable decoration for a schoolroom. It is in the shape «»£ the heraldic shield, in polished oak. on the face of which, are one-and-twenty small silver shields of the same shape, to receive the names of winning schools year after year; also a silver scroll bearing the title: •' Kducation Board of South Canterbury Public Schools Challenge .Shield." He- j neath this is a well-executed ornament representing a swimmer pushing a lifebuoy. ! in bas-relief, framed in a life-buoy, the latter half-surrounded by New Zealand's emblem, the fern leaf. There was only a limited competition I for the shield on Satuulay, four* seh«x>ls J only caring or daring to enter the lists I for it—Tiniaru Main, Waimataitai. Temuka and Pleasant. Point. Probably now that the contest, has been well started, there j will be larger entries in succeeding years. I The conditions this year were that each school competing should send oae team of three, to compete in four swimming races, the winner to be the school gaining most points in all four. Mr Antes, nf the High School staff, kindly acted as starter, and the judges were MessTs Howell. Gow and Crawshaw. and Messrs Amo> and Hints kept tihie. The afternoon was fine and suitable for t"..e occasion, though it might have been wanner. Tbet.' wTrc very few spectators, all the adults present being teacheis. A number of school bay.* and girls helped to make the affair JjvsJy j by their friendly "barracking" f• r com! petitors making a good effort. The first race was- a 59 Yards Breast Stroke. For this there were ten competitors from the four schools, and they got off with a simultaneous splash. This was won by about four feet by Wurai. of Temuka. with McKay and Campliel!. of Point, second and third. The win- ] ner's time was 55 5-ssec. I A 50 yards race for boys under eleven brought out only three youngsters, who made a veiy pretty and even race of it. and there was a great show of excitement at the closeness of the contest. Tvv. j T-riuuka boys. \V. and C. Gindcr«. t.nac | hi fit si ;v~d second. Holdcate. Tim:i:u M.?:n, Time.

An exhibition of life-saving pjactice was \ then given by two High Schooj boys. ! Dalglcish brhiging Valentine out of ;hc j water an.l " restyling :espiratiun" by t",:-.: .Sylvester method. The next race was ICO yards, any Vtroke. Ten boys started, but some of them soon fell /tar, and the "field" became very ragged. There was a cSor, race between first una >et~nd. Ogiivie. <>f W.illnataitai md Wurm of Itiuuk.i. McKny. of Point, finished tkitd. live cr >-;*: y;-i";s bihind. Time, lllsec. A dive, rot counting for the shkid. wis then had. from the springb*.ivd from the first stage. There were eight competitors, and none of.the boys made a very neat thing of it. both i:i and < nt. and some created great amusement by the way they somersaulted on hi;tine tha water, they not being used to the springboaid. Ogiivie (Waimataitai) was placed first. C. Ginders (Temukal seco;:d. Wo. d (Main School) third. The last race was 4 25 yards "back stroke." Xhv? competed. ;uid* a gcod race was won by Wurm, Ogiivie second. Kirk (Teinukal third.

The "points" totted up gave ihs priae to Temuka. 16J, Waimataitai being ••»\r.-nri with 6. Point 4£. Timaru Main 1. Mr Howell, chairman of the K(l:u;.t:»n Board. pi«se::ted the shield to tbc w::j * >:i»g team, with a few remark* in explication of its origin, and a hope !:. u h would be keenly competed for in >j:a;e years. He pointed out the value of ;.r : m ming as an ideal physical exert i? . .-v.k: as a w'hub'e securityf. life, and i:. <!>• elusion, on handing over the shield f. the eldest of the winning team, he -lilvised them to " try " to win it a train t.ctH ve;.r. Ci::.:< «t:s f» r H:e ::hx::-r*. f ;r

; ,"'V' T\ . ! " C :ti;:ir vs •' *t v.-;y veil. the i.u:>' behaviour being excellent ti.-rugh-out. whether ~s compe:it.)!s .1: .-.,. ,-',,. looke! >.