NECK-TO-KNEE COSTUMES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 46, 24 February 1939, Page 6

NECK-TO-KNEE COSTUMES

NOT FOR MARTON SWIMMERS TWO FULLY-DRESSED BATHERS. MAYOR AND COUNCILLOR IN FRIENDLY RACE. Wanganui visitors to Marton for the swimming carnival on Wednesday night had a surprise in store for them when two prominent citizens dived fully dressed into the swimming baths and commenced to swim a ler ‘i of the bath. I.plying to the welcome extended to the Wanganui visitors by the Mayor of Marton, Mr. F. Purnell, the president of the Wanganui Swimming Centre. Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P., congratulated the citizens of Marton on the enthusiasm with which they had supported the carnival. He paid a tribute to the zeal displayed by the Mayor and Cr. Mogridge, through whose hearty co-operation the Wanganui Centre had been enabled to stage a carnival which could be expected to put swimming back on the map in Marton. Mr. Cotterill then proceeded to astonish the crowd by calling on Mr. Purnell and Mr. Mogridge to swim a length of the baths. Spectators smiled at what they accepted as only the usual banter, but to their delight Mr. Purnell threw off his coat and Mr. Mogridge kicked off his shoes to toe the mark in approved style “Warned” by the official starter that a “break” would result in disqualification, the two got away on the journey to the accompaniment of cheers, which were renewed when it was observed that these two old hands at. the game still knew a few of the tricks of the trad* 5 . Half-way tc the judges the pair indulged in a wellearned rest, and then staged a wellcontested sprint to the rope, the result being in doubt until the announcement of a meritorious dead-heat. Cheers and rounds of applause greeted the two swimmers as they emerged from the water with the garments clinging closely to their forms, which showed much more flesh than in the days when these two swimmers could hold their own with youths of their own age, half a century ago.