The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, Jan. 6. THE ART OF SWIMMING.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 41, 6 January 1894, Page 8

The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, Jan. 6. THE ART OF SWIMMING.

The steamer Alert foundered oft the coast of Victoria a few days ago, with the result that sixteen out of the seventeen persons on hoard perished. There was only one survivor—Pointing, the cook. The vessel went down in the afternoon, in stormy weather, and it was not till next day that Pointing was cast ashore along with some wreckage. He was then apparently lifeless, but those who found him in this sore plight resorted to a happy expedient to restore warmth to his benumbed body. They had with them a Newfoundland dog, and they made this “ friend of man” nestle against the rescued one in order to impart some of his OAvn heat to the poor fellow who had been so sorely buffeted in his struggle with the winds and waves. Success crowned the attempt, and Pointing was soon able to relate his story. From this it was made abundantly clear that, humanly speaking, he owed his preservation to his skill and endurance as a swimmer. This fact carries with it a lesson for all interested in the physical training of the youth of the colony. Swimming is a delightful pastime—one of the healthiest and

most invigorating of which young people could acquire a knowledge, and one of singular usefulness in a country like New Zealand, with its extensive coast-lines and numerous rivers. And yet, it is not too much to say that the accomplishment is almost wholly neglected. especially at this season of the year, is freely indulged in, but systematic effort in the way of imparting a knowledge of swimming is, except in some of thelarger centres,practically unknownThis is a state of matters that should, and might easily, he remedied, Invercargill some years ago was able to boast the possession of a prosperous Swimming Club, which mainly ow r ed its existence to the energy and enthusiasm of the late Messrs H. Kingsland and Freeman. Under its auspices some very successful aquatic tournaments took place, which had the effect of exciting an interest in the subject that could not fail to prove beneficial. It would be well to make an effort to start another swimming club, and so give an opportunity for all who w'ish to do so of becoming proficient swimmers. They would not all develop into Cavills, but the possession of a tithe of his skill in the water might prove their ow r n or another’s temporal salvation in afterlife. So far as the formation of a club is concerned, His Worship the Mayor might mark his year of office by getting the citizens to interest themselves in the movement. If it were successful it would be something to w 7 hich he could look back wfith pride.

The matter is also one in which good service might be rendered by the masters of the different public schools. We understand that the .Royal Humane Society of Australasia gives trophies every year for proficiency in swimming, decided at certain trials, carried oat under the supervision of the school teachers, and including rescue work, for which purpose a “ dummy ” is introduced. So far as we have heard only one school in Southland has ever competed for the prize—that of Otautau—and this was several years ago. It is, we know, never too late to mend, and we commend the subject to all teachers who desire to give less reason than even now exists for describing drowning as the “ New Zealand death.”