SWIMMERS CONFER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 8

SWIMMERS CONFER

JUNIORS TO BE FOSTERED,

A' conference of swimmers was held at the Y.M.C.A. Buildings last evening, to discuss generally the. position of swimming in Wellington. The war has made such gaps,in the ranks of competitive_ swimmers in Wellington that the position as far as. clubs were concorned was becoming rather hopeless. _ Mr. G. S. Hill (chairman of tho Wellington Centre), in explaining the objects of the meeting, stated that the' time was ripe to discuss, the prospects of swimming during this turbulent period. Many of the clubs had, he stated, been very seriously depleted by their members going to the front, and consequently swimming matters generally were in a state of partial coma. He asked representatives of tho clubs' to explain the positions of their respective clubs.

, Mr. F. Wilton, representing the Swifts Club, pointed out that bis club was much better represented on the Gallipoli Peninsula than in Wellington, and he therefore foresaw difficulty in assembling a quorum for the annual meeting.

! The Old Boys' Club were (stated by Mr. E. Levy to be in a similar position. There were two senior' members remaining in Wellington. He suggested the amalgamation of clubs as far as was practicable, and that their combined energies should be in the direction of fostering swimming among juniors. Mr. Bell explained that the Worser ,'Bay. Club was in a very low state as regards members. Forty-five of their members had enlisted. He stated that his club had decided to hold the cup races as usual, but they would not stand for any carnivals, run either by clubs or the centre. He thought clubs should carry on as best they could. ■ Mr. L. Blundell suggested that the funds of tho centre should be utilised in a measure in assisting the dependents of soldier-swimmers who were in necessitous circumstances.

„ Mr. A. Stevenson thought the centre should. carry on energetically among the 6choolsand junior swimmers generally, and should forgo the usual affiliation fees of the clubs.

Mr. F. Wilton thought that tho clubs sbould go into "recess," and any energy should be expended among juniors. The opinion of the meeting generally was that the centre should carrv on with tho present delegates and do everything p'ossiblo to push along swimming among the schools.