LADY SWIMMERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16487, 28 February 1914, Page 14

LADY SWIMMERS.

QUESTION OF COSTUME. DISCUSSION AT NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. THE NEW BRIGHTON ALLEGATIONS. At a meeting of the council of the Now Zealand Swimming Association last night the question of costumes for lady swimmers came up for discussion.

The president, Mr G. Harris, stated ho thought that it would come well from tho council if it took some stand with regard to the appearance of lady swimmers at the carnivals and meetings. Ho had had a lengthy experience and ho could say that, in his opinion, it would be better, quite apart from surf-bathing or anything like that, if they took the matter in hand and insisted on ladies, swimming as amateurs, appearing in the costume stipulated for in the regulations. The Canadian costume was the best for ladies. In races for men they wanted to get the best tiraPß, and it was well known that tho man who had a low cut costumo had an advantage over tho man who was clad to tho neck. With regard to the ladies, however, it did not much matter whether they made records or not. Ho had held tho same opinion for years and felt satisfied that the council would not lose anything by taking a firm stand and insisting that lady competitors should have the dress provided for _ by the regulations. It was a picturesque dress and much nicer, to his mind, than those he had seen some ladies appearing in. Public opinion was with those who favoured discipline in this matter. Continuing, Mr Harris said he could not agree with tho vicar of New Brighton who on hearsay had alleged that certain things had happened there. He had been, there on Sunday afternoon and had seen things that he did not like. If that were so, and the delegates would know about thorn, it was tho duty of tho Association to get to the bottom of it and take very good care that its own people were not encouraging what he believed went on. Some would say that it was nonsense, but if objectionable practices went on, and he believed that to 6omo extent they did, it was the duty of the Association, combined with local bodies concerned, to do what it could to improve matters. It had no control over the people who went to New Brighton, but it could use its influence and do something by stopping amateurs of both sexes from being dragged into any circumstances that would reflect on tho sport. If these alleged occurrences were true the council should do its part to stop that sort of thing. Some of the members might see the vicar and persuade him that he was in the wrong. The whole thing would come hack on the swimmers.

Mr 0. C. Bryant said that he was captain of the Surf Club at New Brighton and was one of the beach inspectors. There were certain small breaches of good behaviour, but as to the alleged immodesty of ladies ho had seen nothing of it. Mr H. M’D. Vincent said that ho lived at North New Brighton, and' in his opinion tho reports were exaggerated. Mr J. R. Buchanan advocated the use of the Canadian costumo for women at all carnivals. After some discussion it was decided to strictly enforce the Association’s rulo regarding costumes for lady competitors.