"A SLAP IN THE FACE."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 891, 10 August 1910, Page 9

"A SLAP IN THE FACE."

SWIMMERS AT ODDS. CHAIRMAN RESIGNS. Trouble in the.camp—the bath, one should say—of the Wellington swimming fraternity. camo to a head at tho meeting of. the Wellington Centre of tho New Zealand. Amateur Swimming Association • last evening,' with the resignation of tho chairman, Mr. L. W. Ludwig, ouo of the most prominont supporters of natation in Wellington. The'principal business of the meeting was the-consideration of a letter from '*Mr. Wm. Henry, the founder and present secretary of the Royal Life Saving Society, who is to tour Now Zealand in the wining spring with the object of vitalising a general movement for the promotion of branches of the society in New Zealand. After considerable discussion it was resolved, on tho motion of Mr. T. Shields :— "That this centre.form a branch ot the Royal Life Saving Society, on the. lines indicated bv tho council of the N.Z.S.A." ■■'.■' Tlie following were elected to constitute the committee of the new branch; ■Mossrs. A. A. Sommervillo; T. Shields, AV'.'G. Morooth, L. W. Ludwig, G. Hill, and li , . Wilton. Tho question of appointing medical advisors to. the committee was left in the -hands of the committee

Considerable feeling was shown, in an animated discission which followed upon a statement by the chairman that the action of the Wellington Swimming Club in. forming a Surf Club was a direct "slap in the face" to the centre, which was the governing body in such matters. The Wellington Club, ho said, had no right to form such a club, and so intrude upon, tho authority of tho centre, Tho olub was aware, at tho time, that tho centre had decided to take up ■ this branch of swimming, and ho was firmly resolyed to see that" the authority of the centre was not interfered \vith, for that was the' only guarantee they bad of preventing the growth of inter-club jealousies.' Ho moved that the Wellington Swimming Club bo called upon to explain its action in forming a surf club when it was known that tho centre had decided,to undertake that work. This was seconded by- Mr. Dyson. ' Delegates from the Wellington Club strongly protested against the remarks of.tho chairman. As a matter of fact, said they, the Wellington Club, acting Strictly within this letter of its rules (approved by the centre), had extended its efforts by .establishing a surf bathing branch, which was open to all mom-: bers of other chilis and outsiders included; .-■.'..■ ; The chairman: That is just the point. I desire to make,it clear that suoh an organisation oun only be properly controlled by the centro. ; Mr. Sheilds, one of the Wellington Cliib delegates, made a lengthy explanation of the.position, and stated that tho Wellington Club liiitl gone to the trouble of procuring information from Sydney with reference to sui'f rescue work, ami made preliminary arrangements, before tho centre met and decided to take up the \Vork. ' _ ' /• An amendment;.was then niovod to tlie effect that tho '. .explanation of Mr. Shields be accepted on behalf of tho Wellington Club. This was seconded and carried. Then came the climax. Mr. Ludwig ■said that in view 'of what had occurred ho intended to withdraw from tho contre, which, it was plain, was being run .bj;.; the; , -Wellington Club.- Ho-pointud diit that in vioiv of the fact that lib" had previously been authorised by the centro to make' arrangements for the control of surf classes, the aotion.of tho meeting in supporting the [. Wellington Club could only be interproteJl as a want of confidence. Voices: No. Mr. Ludwig:'There is no othor interpretation possible. Tin's is the last occasion upon which I shall be present at a meeting of the contre The speaker. then collected his papers and took'his leave, and the meeting dissolved. , . . . . i