SWIMMING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 229, 2 November 1909, Page 4

SWIMMING.

A WORLD'S RECORD. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, November 1. Hard wick made a world's swiimuiug record, covering 100 metres hi 03sec. NOT KS. (By "Splodge"). Now that the weather is getting warmer line may expect ihe batns will lie better patronised again. • The Swimming Club will probably be "ettin" oil' some, club races shortly, and drawing up a list ot polo fixtures, aL* though it is hardly advisable to- begin tne races too early ill a season. 1 haven't heard of the ''club night" being started yet. There would not have been a very big attendance any night so far, I venture lo remark. The following list of standard times as revised this season by the N.Z.A.S.A. may be of interest to swimmers:—loo ' yds., lilisec.; '22(lyds. 2niin. 44siv.; 440 yds., 1 (iniin.. l.")si'c.: half-mile. Kimin.; mile I 27iuin.; ?20yds breast-stroke, 3min 30seo. /They seem very fair, and just about the times that our best Xew Zealand cracks at the respective distances can get to when in their best form. Tile system of giving a standard cap and badge to a swimmer getting within standard time is a good one and an encouragement to all swimmers. The Stratford Club held its annual meeting last week. The report and bal-ance-sheet for last season showed that the club had a very successful season, both generally and financially. Thelection of officers for the ensuing seasou resulted as follows:—President. Dr. Carberry; captain, C. E. Seabriglit; vicecaptain, B. Kivcll; lion, secretary, N. Black; assistant secretary, C. Potts; committee, A. K. Masters, D. J. Jlalone, I l '. B. Slolir, S. Fahoy and B. Fearon; delegate to centre, Mr. D. McFarlane. Congratulations to our old friend Charlie Seabriglit. a one-time captain ot oar local club, on being elected to the position of captain to the Stratford Club. His election should help to foster the good feeling already existing between the two clubs. T notice that the ladies' Australasian idiampionships are this year to be held at Melbourne. In Australia the ladies indulge in the pastime much more than they do in the Dominion, probably on account of the warmer water over there, and it will probably "be some years yet before the championships will he held in Sew Zealand. I believe that the men's Australasia') championships are also to lie held in Melbourne this year, and I should like to see New Zealand represented. In R. Iffaley, a one-time Australasian distance champion, and M. E. Champion wc Lave two ewiminers who, I believe, could r-empetc with most of the swimmers of the other side except, perhaps, their sprint champions, C. Healey anil others, and F. 15. Beiuipaire in the distance events. The Canterbury centre held a very successful annual meeting a week or so ago, when 28 delegates, representing 17 clubs, were present. In Canterbury, perhaps more than in any other place 111 fie Dominion, swimming is in a very llourishinor condition. The centre there is determined to spare no pain s to make a successful bid to retain the polo championship banner, and I noticed that a .committee had been appointed to select the centre's repreeentatitvo for the New Zealand meeting. Every Saturday in Christchurch and suburbs ono or other of the clubs holds a .sports meeting at which perhaps 150 swimmer* coinpet". and a regular polo tournament is held during the year. The Addington' Cluli i-i at the present tile holder of the po'o i premiership.' Wellington swimmer* arc Hi!) glinting in the matter of their baths. During the Inst eighteen months the Te Aro baths have been in a state of repair, which is a great inconvenience to swimmers, but it j* hoped that some time" when the improvements are completed the ha tils will he really up to date. Tile Thorndon baths at the other end of the town are iu a worse state even: an 1, what is a great annoyance to swimmers, i no records can be put up there, as the | batlw are nine inches short of fifty ■ yards. Xol withstanding these draw--1 acks. however, a successful season i< Icoked forward to in Wellington, and ?.niue more good racing U anticipated between their crack*, particularly between Healey. Freyberg, Roberts, and Ronavne.

I see that the Canterbury swinmic'S tin l other il;iv made a present;]fion in 'heir late eenlre spprctary, Mr. Wn ii ei Johnson. Mr. Johnson is a really iroe.l ~iiort. and interests himself chiefly ill • wimiiiiii'.r anil hockey. He was for many yars secretary to I lie ('antorhip'y (•"litre, and is still a keen enthusiast. Hp holds the 1 ioyii 1 Humane Society's bronze medal for bravery in rescuing life many year« apro oil' tile \ap;fi breakwater. Local swimmers will welcome bucn ! dfsain as a competitor A. V. Stohr. once our local champion, who has rejoined '.be amateur ranks, an example of w.iat one sport will do for another. Tie will ; .lelp to take the place of Freybei'fr and -iiibbon.s, who have left the town since last season. I have not heard of anr new blood of any great reputation, but there arc one o r two, I believe, who wi'l lie addition*, and there arc always the ynminr 'mm comin<r on. T haven't heard any talk lately of t'.ie proposed Taranaki centre. For myself. T reallv think it is time we had a centre frr ourselves," instead of alwavs lieinz lepenilent on AVanganui. The present Waiijauiiii centre is too cumbersome and unwieldy, and Taranaki is merely an appendage to it. rf only tile Taranaki clubs were to take a united stand and Willi together there should he no difficulty in ficttinfr a centre here. We have three llonrisliiiifr clubs in Taranaki. an.l Kiiould soon have another one at: lii[;l'vood. With a centre in the province we should have a committee near at hand who would direct their energies to foster the sport in the district, whereas at present the cniilrolliiij; ] lo ,l v i s s0 far away that we know practically nothiun- of its doings or deliberations; in feci, it it hard for us In know wlicllvr it does do anvthin;* or deliberate on anyHiitijj. \o( that I wish In sa.v anything ••pimsf (hp hoily in question, liiit the <• rcumslaiicis arc Knell that the fart '■■■ so: iior do 1 wisli |0 detract in any '•ay from what Wanpinui has done for us. for I liiink they reallv >_-avo us a lead ami helped us l„ make a star*. Well, anvhow, if we wish to'have a •cutre this seas,m „, 0V( , ~r ' IK'O.