SWIMMING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 622, 27 September 1909, Page 4

SWIMMING.

'";..',• THE THORNDON CLUB. , . ; i )v The following is- the annual report of tha Thorndon Swimming Clnb, tovba presented at the general meeting of tho clnb on October 5 :— 'ilio balance to credit, after deducting: ail expenses incurred daring the period under review, : amounts to £27 lla. Ud., of which .£l9 139. fjras brought'forward •'from'.last season. Although tho balance is a fairly- substantial' more-liberally treated in. regard;.to the provision of'swimming events during .*t!io ; SeaS9iK just ended, .'than during the , .previous'yea'r, yoar committee'recognising that ' their.duty in' the direction of.prbvid'ing contest* tor members than:in' the creating of a largo banking account; Tho ranks of the club Were'swelled 1 considerably during tho sea- ! son by ; tha,'addition ofa.'nninbef of now members;'tb« financial membership having now attained tho satisfactory total of 130. ."■••: .It pleasing to note tho material improvement in the standard of oni'swim-mers-which has manifested itself during tho past,season. This condition of. affairs'is attributable, in a. largo degree, fothoadvent of Mr. Reg.'Healy," late of Sydney," who: threw in his lot with the Thorndon Clnb. The club was .'represented at vtho New, Zealand championship meeting, held at Timaru last February, by Messrs.. R. Healy and R. Ronayne,who werev, successful in bringing back all the championships '/with • the' exception of the breaststroke event.' E. Healy assarted Ms superiority over, other competitors.by winding the 220 yards;,«o.;yards,'BSO yards, and one mile-cham-', .pionship's, ~ahd establishing records in the 440' yards, 880 yards,"and one-mile events—a most, creditable ; and praiseworthy performance. E. Honayne'alsd'contributed to the honour of tjho dub by wresting the 100.yards.championship from-M. Champion-after a very keen struggle. At -the .Wellington ■ provincial-. championship meeting, R. Healy secured more laurels for the. club', by-winning both the 440 yards and 100 yards championship's,. "Fred" Roberts, gaining sdcond place in the latter event. -'Several of our,. swimiherY made a, trip to ilasterton on last ..Annlyersarjr Day, .'January -22, and took part in the Wairarapi: Swimming Club's carnival.- They Vers'most successful, securing sir .first places and one second. E. Healy won'tho 220 yards Wairarapa- ohampionship, -' the 75 .yardsiscrateh event,-.and.the 410 yards handicap.. CBfiee was'first in tho 220 yards handicap, 'E. Nelson-.first in the rescue competition, A. W. Smith first in the long dive, and R.' j Eonayne obtained .second honours in tho 75 1 yards scratch race. '.■'"■ ; . Tho mid-week races promoted during tho season were again well patronised and keenly contested; some fine individual performances being registered. In one of these, events, a >lOo;yards handicap, three of the competitors, ,F. Roberts, ; R. Ronayne, and R. Healy succeeded in lowering the New Zealand record for the distance, tho respective times being 62 4-5 seconds, 63 2-5 seconds,- and 04 seconds. Unfortnnately, however, these times could not be recognised, owing to tho baths being 9 inches short of the 50 yards. In this connection, il would appear that- the lime- is opportune for the attention of the City Council to 1)0 directed to the desirability of extending the baths to the full 50 yards, as it is to bo regretted that such sterling performances as mentioned above should pass unrecognised. Another performance, worthy of recognition was that registered by F. Cohorts at To A ro , Baths, in winning his heat in a 50 yards, event in the excellent time of 20 l-ssec, a record for those baths. Onr annual carnival, took placo rather lato in tho season ,(on March 0), but .this did not militato'against its success, as'it was generally admitted to havo been one of tho best carni.

vals yet hold under the auspices of tho club. Itecord entries, combined with pleasant weather, accounted for a splendid attendance,, all ■new points being crowded.. Excellent displays \yere given by .the competitors, ..tho several events being closely contested, and the finishes showed how carefully tho' handicapper had performed his work., A. number, of. novelties were* introduced, mid were- undoubtedly appreciated Si ''S?' 1 '>'« .spectators and participants alilie. iho Sir Joseph Ward Challenge Cup was again Keenly contested throughout the season several member 1 consistently securing points, and. it wtw. only.tho last nice- of the- season which ftilally decided who was to be the holder B' Roberts- gaineoMliai distinction wish 13 points to hn credit, R, tfealy hein? second with 13. and R. Roaayne next with 11. The polo team showed a marked improvement on' the form of the previous season, and in the contest for tho Centre s< banner were only deprived of first honours by., a- narrow. margin. The season was brought to a-'closelythe-annual, reunion and smoko concert... Th« chair w occupied by our, worthy president,, Mr. Konoyne; and, n cludedm a large attendance- of over SO were ; Tho f stronsc- financial position of tho club is dne, m a large-measure,, to .thegenerous- asinstance rendered by the supporters of our tho following gentlemen for donationsr-B.Hvt Hon. hir J. G >Vard. Drs.. A.-Izard aml°A, h. Anderson, Messrs. T. Ronaync, J, p. Maxwell, J. vv. Joynt, M.A., J,-e: Henrys, if W. Ludwigj, H; Beauyhanip, H. Nelson, W. . C Gasanoine G/L. TOW S.. Briee, B. D. Hanh Art F - r f h ' D# J'?? 1 ? 11 ' M< l A- Ashman.. Tho club s thanks.are-also due to the press'for the manner in which the doings of the club wore reported thronghoutvthe season, the carnival . asistants, andl the handicapper. The. custodian, of tho baths. (Mr.. A. Eirth> and. his. good' wife are also deserving of tho hearty, thanks of the , lor.1 or . t l he -. k , 111d attention and consideration extended by them to swimmers- im'ill-W sums. (•■■■'..■,

Mr Donald Hlebd- resigned from- tho club at tho close' of tho season.' owing- to his removal to Sydney.' Mr. MXcod'■ was- a very active member, and also an, energetic committeeman, and,his departure from Cur ranks is a distinct loss. ; Tlie- duly has also- sustained; another losg thrown E:\Bonavne- being-trans-ferred city'to Auckland.: This youngswimmer had mart* ttim«if.verv popular, and ho will- Be much, missed by nil."those members, with wham he-has: been associated.

Diirina;.thfl,-rse'ftfi(;n,' nine, committee' meetings were- held out of which Mr. Smith attended 9.. Mr. J. It. Mlbor.-ff, Mr:. W.'B.'. Smith s; Mr., D. MT-eod 7, Jfr.'-'- D.. Joslyn.- % Mr... L.. H6novnn..7.,Mr. F.. Eoherts 7; Mr.-A.lSt, Clair T. Mr.'.C. A, Ifacdonard'-S, Mr:E'. Healy4, Mr.. G. M'Kellar' i, and Mr.A.: M. Adams 2,\ ■ ■