SWIMMING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1651, 18 January 1913, Page 12

SWIMMING.

fBl "SPIASH."]

IS THE SPORT LOSING HOLD? Td-day-Thorndon Club' Carnival. January / 22—Wairarapa Club's Carnival, vat the Lake, Park Oval, Mastorton. January 25—Swifts Club Carnival. Eebrliary 15—Swifts Ladies' Carnival. l February 22—Wellington Club Carnival. March 8-Old-Boys'.Club Carnival. "

Some Say "Yes" and Some: Say "No;"

Is swimming as a sport losing ground? Some say "Yes" and some say "No." Well, let us 6ee. It .really does 6eem that, to, a certain extent, competitive swimming is not quite;so strong as it was some years': ago. .So far, so good. But, there is really 'no reason : why the Hydra head , of: general disgruntlement should be ollowed'to rear its';head, all over the seas and fens of our little pur--'view;. - /-■, '.'.■'.■ '■-.'•.-;•■. :/' ■'~,.,'',.■'; ■'■'.; /

Who Raises the Cry .of; Decadence?

If anyone is to blame, who is it? One is inclined to think that those who have mad© the most noise over the small decline in; coriipetitive. -swimming,, should really hava been the ones to be numb. It::is ancient'history now. that the .two: carnivals, conducted by the Centre/were but pc;or affairs.. Instead:of being dressed in cloth of * gold—as "good- carnivals should—they came before, the publio wearing/Irish .frieze. , Yet it-was claimed by some of those, connected', with the, Centre that:: tho carnivals ..-■were" /'successful affairs." '/•''"■.' ,/-'■-,/ .■'■'.'.•''■;■'.'.-..''. M;;

Well,'in. a way, -they, were.'; .The. ex-, chequer swelled. An unsuspecting _publio, : came, and "saw, and—paid. Ana..' the public went away, and sized.the 6itnati6n .up.! There is no, need to say more, The general public, os a ; whole; is. conjidingl Dut,onco,\bitteh,it, is' ten times shy. ;, .- But'6oon-after,these 'carnivals 'were 1 over the'chairman of the Wellington Centre ."cries out (.with ■'■ the assistance of another) that 'competitive, swimming is going under. ,If. competitive .swimming is really going down,' it is tho fault -bj the centre alone. Those officials who ate on the Centre, and who are supposed to .have the'iaffaira of swimmers at.heart, arc responsible for ■ the' progressive of competitive; swimming. '.-' ;- v. .•'.'' - . : There' are • dozens! of good swimmers in.Wellington,, but what, docs the -Centnj' ; offe'r.'to '•! these'■•meri'P''-';-'|t .;'js',-'tt' wel.l-fchown' fact—although' ,it has rarely ■been, pointedi out in print—that some'of the 'clubs are at . loggerheads. ' This fihould not be,;. That is on* of the reasons for the decrease in competitive swimming. Some only d ;fe\v—who aro •not affiliated to the Centre, and who,' for reasons of their own, would hot' join, the Centre, contain some' really good. swimmers. '■!"It is.a 'great pity! that such- a thing exists, and the Centre should move in the;direction of having matters rectified, and 'thus -bring about,perfect .hurlnony.'; 1 ■';-".: ■.. '•. -~-' ■ ..?'■ .; A Question of Champions. \ K .'••And.now, ! too, the' chairman ; of '■ 'the Centre . is.,,crying out that chc»"pinns should'be sent to the.carnival at.Wanga- • nui next month. Why should the Centre call out about champions? .The Centre's object (according ; to, its constitution) is to encourage and teach tho .'art of swimming generally, but the matter of champions rests with the swimmers; themselves.; Men Who Talk and Men Who Work.': • One'-well-known'.swimmer', stated ' this week that the,idea of Mr. Shields teaching children was ridiculous. How so? , It is.-regrettable that there not a great mnny, more officers fired with the somo spirit -as "Tom" Shields. . Ho is one of a • few energetic swimmers 'left.'. Instead of out about: swimming falling off, why,do not some of these critics give a little of their time to teaching the schoolboy's. Mr. Shields is working bard simply for the love, of the sport, and he' delerves credit for his enthusiasm. : The official handbook of the New Zealand Amateur' Swimming - Association, which is issued annually,' contradicts entirely, the statements which were made publicly last week..Those who made the statements should leave other towns, in New Zealand alone, and confine tnemselves'tq Wellington. Some of the more prominent swimmers in Wellington who bare had twenty to twenty-six years' experience with the sport coincide" with the writer in''tho idea that swimming is not going back. Amateur Status 'Question, The Council of the':New Zealand Amateur Swimming -dissociation has decided to allow professionals' in other sporis to compete as amateurs in swimming. When I say professionals in other sports, I allude to those who play. the Northern Union game of football, ';/. If it is correct that the council has definitely decided to do as Mated, it has placed itself in the position of'allowing swimming in New Zealand,, which js at present amateur, to become professional,, Swimmers maw well ask why, and'ait. answer is easy. ■. • , . ' Presuming that the council has decided tr allow professionals in other sports' ta compete as amateurs in swimmrig, "these professionals join clubs, and in time they cannot bo . refused the right of being elected secretary to the particular club which they happen to represent. Then thoy cannot bo refused the right; of being elected delegates on the Council of the N.Z.A.S.A. They may then gain strength, and eventually control swimming. Then what is to prevent them from making the sport professional? Nothing. Club Notes. Owing to the fact that the carnival date allotted to tho Swifts Club is inconvenient, both to the club and to swimmers generally—the New' Zealand championships commence on the Monday following at Wanganui—it has been decided to hold it a week earlier—viz., on January 25. An attractive programme . (included..in which nre. some very original novelty events) has been drawn up. .Tho Thorndon Amateur Swimming Club is to hold its carnival at the, Thorndon Baths this' afternoon. The prospects of a successful carnival are good, and a large number,-of entries have been received. The Swifts ladies' branch has been up mid doing, and at a' meeting held-on Tuesday night it was decided to apply for permission to hold a carnival on February 15. The Swifts ladies have already held two annual carnivals, and in each case' they .'have been oxtxmely slivi*rf'ul affairs. .Three races will be decided before the carnival, viz., Tuesday, January 21, SO yards handicap; Wednesday, January 20, 25 yards schoolgirls' handicap; an:? Wednesday, February 5,' 60 yards handicap, The races will b» wriun off at S.BO p.m, in each iaitaac* ■■ ;,