ANNIVERSARY HONOURED BY SWIMMING CLUB.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19247, 8 December 1930, Page 10

ANNIVERSARY HONOURED BY SWIMMING CLUB.

LYTTELTON LADIES HOLD BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. There was an attendance of about eighty at a high tea given by the Lyttelton Ladies’ Swimming Club to members and ex-members, at the Unanimity Hall, Sumner Road, on Saturday evening, on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the club. Those present included some of the original members and ex-members. The long tables were tastefully arranged with vases of roses, and at the official table there was a large birthday cake. Airs F. E. Sutton, who presided, extended a welcome to the Alayoress (Mrs W. T. Foster) and ex-members who now resided outside the port. It was a pleasure to her to be president of the club on its twenty-fifth anniversary. It had been her good fortune to take over the office of president when the club was in a good financial position. She had been a member ever since it was formed. In the early days of the club there were no motor-cars, and on beach afternoons to get to the bay the members hired Mr George Sopp’s spring dray. They were happy days for members. The club was in a strong position at the present time, and she felt that ywitli so many enthusiastic members it could not help but prosper. Present members, she thought, owed a great deal of gratitude to the club’s officers of the past and present for the very capable manner they had handled its affairs. The club had been instrumental in teaching and influencing many in the I port to learn to swim. In referring to past presidents, Airs Sutton mentioned Mrs Colin Cook, who had been president of the club for twenty years, and Aliss AI. Cook, who had held the position of secretary for sixteen and a half years.

Airs Colin Cook said that she thought it was unique for a ladies’ swimming club to attain its twenty-fifth birthday so far as Canterbury was concerned. She trusted that the club would attain its jubilee. When she took over the position of president twenty-three years ago, the club was a small one. Its finances were not too strong, but it was now able to boast of a large membership and to be in a very good financial position. At one time they had had to rely on tradespeople donating trophies, but to-day the club was able to purchase its own trophies, although, of course, trophies were still donated by members and others. The club started with a membership of twenty, and its present membership, she believed, was' something like 130. A spirit of good fellowship had always existed between members, and she trusted that it would continue. During the evening Aliss Alyra Sutton sang two solos. m in m @ m a m @ m ® m is m in m a m m is i