surfresearch.com.au  newspapers : surf-shooting, 1912-1914

With a black north-easter blowing, rain falling and the sea becoming rougher and rougher, the North Steyne Surf and Life-saving Club was unfortunate in connection with its fifth annual gala.
Despite the conditions, however, about 1000 people paid for admission to the carnival on the beach, and there were many more outside the enclosure.
Whilst the fourth event was in progress rain fell, and most of the spectators left.
At this stage it became necessary to postpone the water events as a strong current was sweeping from north to south along the beach at a very fast rate, and in the rescue drill, great difficulty was experienced by the swimmers in making the buoy.
The current took them a good deal out of their way, and unless they were fortunate enough to reach it at the first attempt, there was no possiblity of again getting there.
All the beach sports, however, were carried out, and the arrangements generally were complete.

Events were ahead of schedule time in the majority of instances, results and happenings were clearly announced by megaphone, and the result board was placed in a most prominent position.

In the adverse circumstances the club did well to make a success of the gala.

The officials were:- Director, O. G. H. Merrett; assistant director, L. V. Hind; referee. J. Lord; starter L. W. Abel; check starter, R. D. Doyle; time keepers, F. C. Williams, G. Cohen, A. A. Watson; judges for water events, C. D. Patterson, I. Hayden, D. Slyer, S. Fullwood; judges for beach sports, C. Martin, L. C. Ormsby, W. Kellam; megaphone operator, E. H. Reeve; result steward, W. C. Fisher; ??? secretary, E. M. V. Shorewell.

Results:
Grand parade and march past of surf clubs in coustume, and with all lifesaving gear and appliances. Five teams turned out, and both North Steyne at Manly Life-saving clubs made a very effective display.
The judges awarded first prize to the former and second to the latter.
Junior Alarm Reel Race (under 16 years of age).-
The reels were placed some distance up the beach, and the teams mustered at water's edge.
At the starting signal the teams rushed to the reel, and the beltman was required to swim to buoy anchored about 20 yards out.
Two teams competed- North Steyne and Manly Seagulls.
At the first attempt neither beltman reached the buoy, and, as the current was rapidly sweeping both farther away, the effort had to be abandoned.
At the second attempt, however, Manly Seagulls' representative reached the buoy, and thus won.
Fancy Dress Parade.-
Eight characters paraded, the award of the judges went to R. O. Farrell (clown).
Rescue and Resuscitation Competition for Begg's Shield.-
Owing to the heavy current running from north to south, the reels had to be placed at the extreme north of the beach, whilst the buoy, at which the rescue had to be made was anchored at the southern end.
Only two heats were disposed of, and it was then decided, owing to the heavy and dangerous seas, to postpone the final until a future date.
As this is one of the most important surf competitions of the year, it is regrettable that the conditions were such as to make this course necessary.
First heat: North Steyne (holders of shield), North Bondi, 2.
Second heat: Freshwater, 1; Coogee Surf and Manly  Life-saving, dead heat, 2.
Wheelbarrow Race.- A. F. Davis and W. Allison (North Steyne), 1; W. R. Davis and R. T. Beale (North
Steyne), 2.
300 yds Beach Relay Race.-
First heat: J. W. Wilkins, W. Morgan, E. Nicholls, H. Nicholls (North Steyne), 1; S. M'Kelvey, K. G. Childers, R. Miller, F. Lancellen (Manly L.S.C.), 2.
Second heat: S. C. Wright, A. Wright, J. B. Westwood. V. Rowlands (Manly L.S.C), 1; A. Kelly, W. H. Allison, F. Bruce, H. Taubmaan (North Steyne), 2.
Third heat: A. F. Davis, H. Davis, H. J. Filschie (?), C. Hind (North Steyne), 1; C. G. R. Wilson, G. M'Kay, R. T. Beale, G. H. Betts (North Steyne), 2.
Fourth beat: F. H. Falls, P. Thompson, N. Holmes, W. P. Pigott (Manly L.S.C.), I; P. Piddington, H. Crispe, C. Michelson. H. Skinner (Manly Seagulls), 2.
Final: JF. W. Wilkins, W. Morgan, E. Nicholls, H. Nicholls (North Steyne), 1; S. C. Wright, A. Wright, J. B. Westwood. V. Rowlands (Manly L.S.C), 2; C. G. R. Wilson, G. M'Kay, R. T. Beale, G. H. Betts (North Steyne), 3.

The surf boat display by Mr. Fred Notting in the 'Big Risk' canoe, and the display by Mr. T. Walker on the Hawaiian surf board had to be abandoned, owing to the unsuitable weather.
Mr. Notting rowed his boat from South Steyne, but, in attempting to come in on a wave, was upset, and he seemed at one time to be in difficulties.
The North Steyne team prepared to go to his assistance, but Mr. Notting reached the shore unaided by clever use of the current.
A display, however, was out of the question.

Obstacle Race.- H. Davis (North Steyne), 1; J. W. Morgan (Manly L.S.C.), 2.
Pillow Fight.- B. Kirke (Manly L.S.C.) and F. A. Davis (North Steyne), tie.
Tug of War.- North Steyne defeated South Steyne.
The alarm reel race and the surf and beach race had to be abandoned, but several prominent surf swimmers gave an exhibition of shooting the waves.

Electors of the Clarence have subscribed a New Year's gift of £180 for Mr J. McFarlane, M.L.A., in appreciation of services rendered by him in the capacity of Parliamentary representative for 27 years.

Owing to the absence ot rain, the early maize crops on the Clarence have been greatly depreciated, and in places are being cut down for stock.

Copmanhurst Shire Council have levied a rate of 2d in the £- on unimproved values, and Grafton Municipal Council a rate of 4d in the £.

The lighthouse keepers on South Solitary Island, near Woolgoolga, have presented Mr. C. S. McKay with a surfing canoe as a surfing gift tor Christmas, in recognition of his services in furnishing them with information by means of the Morse flashlight svstem.
The islanders are seven miles from the land on almost unapproachable rock, and are very much isolated, so that news communicated to them in any form is greatly appreciated.

The annual Freshwater surf and life-saving carnival was held at Freshwater Bay yesterday.
The event was a decided success, and some excellent life-saving exhibitions were given by the various clubs

The starting point of the carnival was the Manly Pier, where a fancy dress procession was drawn up prior to marching through Manly to the beach at Freshwater.

A large crowd assembled to witness the carnival, its cliffs and hills overlooking the beach being thronged.
The various events were keenly contested and some fine feats were performed by the visiting surf clubs.

The competition for the Begg's Whisky Shield was decided and on this occasion the trophv went to Bondi.
North Steyne Life Saving Club were the previous holders of the shield.
A fine exhibition of surf-shooting was given by Mr. Fred Notting in the canoe "The Big Risk."
A programme of music by the band of the First Australian Contingent was rendered during the evening.

The results of the competitions were: -
Fancy dress parade: Indian Troupe 1; Best costume "The Rajah"; Best sustained character J. Walker. wal»" Grand parade of surf clubs: Manlv Life Savining, 1; North Steyne Life Saving Club, 2; Freshwater Surf Club, 3.
Treacle Apple race - E. Reddy (Freshwater), 1; Nicholls (N.S.), 2.
Rescue and Resuscitation Competition - Bondi, 1 (Team T. Walker, G. Lindsay, K. Grieve, J. Hunter, A. McPherson, J. J. Brown, A. M. Langon), Manly A team, 2; Manly B team, 3.
Carry-your-chum Race- R. Bowden and C. Neilson (North Steyne), 1; W. Allison and A. Davis  (North Steyne), 2.
Obstacle  Race- A. F. Davis (N. S.), 1; V. Allison (N.S.), 2.
Alarm Reel Race - Manly No. 1 team, 1 (A. Wright, K. Childers, N. McMillan, S. McCauliff) vii! <T->
Manly No. 2 team, 2; North Steyne No. 1 team, 3.
Cockfighting on Back- Weiks and W. Walker (North Bondi), 1; A. F. Davis and W. Allison (North Steyne), 2.
Pillow Fight- A. F. Davis
Surf Race- L. A. Hind (Norlh Steyne), 1; C. D. Bell (North Stevne), 2.
Twent seven entered the competition for the surf race which the winner succeeeded in pulling off with a good margin.
Pushball Competition - Freshwater No. 1 team, 1; North Steyne No. 2, 2, North Steyne No. 3, 3.

The fourth carnival of the Manly season was held at South Steyne on Saturday afternoon when the Manly Seagulls held their first meeting.
A big crowd witnessed the events, and the competitors had a very rough time owing to the heavy sea breaking in at the southern end of the beach.

Several visiting surf club teams competed.
The beach had been roped off with the permission of the local council.
The surf race provided some very good swimming, and considering the heavy rollers coming in, the competitors put up a splendid performance.
S. Wright (Manly Surf Club) won the event with L. V. Hind (North Steyne) a close second.

The ground parade and march past was a striking feature of the carnival evoking applause from the spectarors.
The comic element was largely introduced into the proceedings.
The winners of the first prize in the fancy dress procession had a tableau entitled "Caught 'pinching' in the Surf Club sheds."

The submarine explosion conducted by the Royal Australian Engineers was a decided novelty and passed off very successfulIy.
Results :-
...

The Government has gazetted an ordinance relating to public baths and bathing-places, but the only new feature is that which governs surf shooting.
Clause 10 reads as follows: "Where any inspector considers that the practiceof surf shooting (I.e.. riding on the crest of the breaking wave), whether with or with-out a surf board, is likely to endanger or inconvenience other bathers, such inspector may order bathers to refrain from such practice or to remove to a place where such practice will not cause danger or inconvenience.
Bathers shall comply with such orders.
Any inspector may take possession of any surf board used in contravention of his or another inspector's orders, and retain it until the bather from whom it was taken resumes his ordinary dress, or until such inspector considers that surf boards may again be used without endangering or inconveniencing the public"

The already large nod constantly increasIng public interested In our ocean beahes should welcome the bathing regulations gazetted this week.
They cover a good deal of ground, and, what is more important, in doing so they touch most of the defects arising from lax supervision of the benches.
Many of the prohibitions are merely those which have long been operating- in respest of public baths.
But, very properly, the expansion ot the public bath into the national recreation of surfing has been regarded as giving suftlclent reason for extending those rules of the bath to the open beaches.
Other of the regulatIons are quite new, and as to those it is satlsfactory to find that an embargo has been laid upon the offensive surf-shooter.
While and wherever surf-shooting is practised in an open bathing space, collisions wilI sometimes be unavoidable.
The breakers are no respecters or persons, and are not by any means to be handled by government regulatlon.
Very otten it is the sheer sportiveness of the incoming wave that projects the shooter upon his unwary victim.
But occasionally it is malice aforethought that sends a swimmer hurtling upon the crest of a wave
straight and swift to collision.
It is right that a watch should be kept upon the practice.
As to the use ot the surf board, it should not be allowed at all where a number of bathers are congregated.
It was never intended for crowded beaches, and its use by skilled native swimmers as at Honolulu, Is safeguarded in the first place by their skIll, and in the second place by the fact that there are no such crowds to be negotiated as is the case here.
Useful provisions are to be noted also in regard to costumes, sun-basklng, and the privacy
of enclosures.
The regulations repeat certain well recognised rules of behaviour in public bathing places.
As to that, perhaps the most frequent source or complaint now existing is due to the presence or a rough element in the sheds and enclocures.
It should be made an important functIon of bath supervision to handle any offensiveness so arising with summary vigour and despatch.
Surf-bathing is much too valuable a recreation to be spoiled by the hoodlums who are, after all, in a large minority by comparison ith the beach-using public.
Many things remain to be done, or course, before our surf-bathing can be regarded as more than primitive in its establishment.
We have ideal beaches, splendid water, and unsurpassed natural surroundings generally.
What we lack is the enterprise to turn them to best account.
The beach provision in the continent of Europe and Amerlca would astonish the municipal authorities of our ocean suburbs.
With scarcely any of our natural provision to work upon, enterprise and organisation have established in the thousand places in other countries waterside resorts or superb attractiveness. With us,  Manly and Coogee and Bondi remain very largely in their natural state, or, what is far worse,
are disfigured by the gross vandalism of the sheds that are the only beach structures we appear to have thought of.
A seawall cannot equip a beach as a recreation resort while there remain above and beyond it desolate wastes ot rock and sand, or unlovely lines of weatherboard shop fronts and fragmentary trees.
We badly need a landscape gardener for the beautification of many aspects of Sydney.
Our beaches in particular would provide him with a great opportunIty.
But their worst need, at present, is an enlightened municipal control, far-seeing enough to discern in them the possibilities that have been so finely utilised in other beaches on other oceans.

- Noted in S&G Champion: Drowning, Bathing and Life Saving (2000) page 179.

Australian sportsmanship is highly praised in the "Dagens Nyheter," the special paper, at the Olympic Games, published at Stockholm.
In the issue of July 8 a difficulty in regard to the swimming of the semi-flnal of the 100 metres race is referred to.
A misunderstanding on the part of the Americans as to when they were to compete led to their missing the qualifying round.
The Americans, Kahanamoku, Huszagh, and McGillivray, who had swum at noon, understood that they had passed through the semi-final, and they consequently adjourned until the evening for the final.

The misunderstanding was caused by thé difference in two programmes, the one that they saw scheduling the final for the night.
Therefore, when the call was given for the semi-final none of the Americans were there, nor was the Italian, Mario Massa.
Healy refused to accept the victory, and asked that the heat be swum over again.
The paper further stated that it was hoped the matter would be straightened out, but that the Americans would abide by the officials' decision.
If, however, it was decided not to swim it off, it would be a severe blow to the team, as they were counting on Kahanamoku for a sure first, and the others for possible places.

On the next day the "Dagens Nyheter" stated that the final of the 100 metres had been postponed, and it was understood that the International Jury had left it to Germany, and Australasia, as the nations with competitors in the semi-finals, to agree to a re-swim, at the same time exonerating the Swedish officials from any blame in the matter.
At that stage it was not known whethof, Germany would agree, but the Australasians had given their consent to a re-swlm.
Eventually a compromise was effected, it being arranged that the three Americans and Marlo Massa, the Italian, contest a special semi-final on condition that the two first be allowed to start in the
final if they swam the distance in less than 66 seconds.
Kahanamoku did 62 1-5s, but the others failed to beat 66s, so did not qualify.
The final thus gave Duke Kahanamoka (U.S.A.), Cecil Healy (Australasia), K. Bretting and W. Ramme (Germany) a chance for the title, Longworth being too ill to start.
The American won, with Healy second.

On July 10 the paper congratulates both Australasian and German swimmers in the following terms:-
"Not only Stockholm, but the whole world of sport will ring with applause for your sporting action in permitting the semi-flnal of the 100 metres to be re-swum.
You, as well as anyhody, realise the prowess of the swimmers you have voluntarily admitted to the final contest.
You will have done more than win an olymplc event; you will have shown an unsurpassable example of sportsmanship for other olympians to emulate."

Speaking to a Herald representative yesterday,  Mr. A. C. W. Hill, the swimming manager at the Olympic Games, said:—"There is a possibility of the brilliant American sprint swimmer Duke Paoa Kahanamoku visiting Australia at au ... 238 words 

He is not really a duke.
Duke is his christian name.
He is the world's champion sprint swimmer, and is wanted in Australia - in Sydney.

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku is the greatest "speed merchant" the world has ever seen over 100 metres.

"We want the duke (sic)," said delegates in chorus at last week's meeting of the Amateur Swimming Association, when the question of inviting championship swimmers from overseas was being discussed.

Mr. A.C.W. Hill. manager of the Australian swimmers at the late Olympic Games, and late hon. secretary of the local association, was in the chair.
He explaned how when at Stockholm he had approached Kahanamoku, who entered the water for America; G. Hodgson (Canada), who won the world's distance championships at the games; and G. Hatfield (England), who has been clocked to do some fine times in England recently.
Hodgson and Hatfield could not ome to Australia, as already been explained in these columns.
But Kahanamoku - yes; he was willing to come, indeed anxious to make the trip to Australia.
It was only necessary, it seemed to him, to invite Kahanamoku, and he would come across.

Mr. "Cliff" Jones (Rose Bay), and hon. treasurer of the association, ever with an eye to the financial side of the question, pointed out that a flyer such as Kahanamoku would be sure to prove a great draw, and on his motion they have decided to ask Duke to pay us a call.
There is every probability that the invitation will be accepted, and local swimming fans can prepare themselves for the greatest swiming treat that has to date been served up in the Domain Baths.

The home of Duke is Honolulu.
He is Hawaiian pure blooded.
Never did an athlete have such a welcome home as Duke when he returned to Honolulu in October.
His words, "This is my own native land," made him the most popular man in all Hawaii.
He is only a young man, barely out of his teens.
He is big built and tall, he has a a very broad expanse of shoulders, and every inch of his body and limbs show that rounded muscular development so characteristic of a throughly-trained swimmer.
Yet withall he is slim.
Naturally long armed, he makes the best use of this feature of his build that nature has accorded him.
"He has abnormally big feet" - that is the impression he gave the Australian champion, W. Longworth.
All the Hawaiians swim.
They are fine swimmers, too.
They are not confined to baths, but swim far out into the Pacific.
They have no fear of sharks.
The Hawaiians are amoung the most accomplished surf-shooters in the world.
They have splendid breakers off their coast.
Should Kahanamoku come to Sydney (he is claimed to be the world champion sur-shooter in Honolulu), he will surely astonish local surfers with is (sic, his) evolutions in the breakers.

Kahanamoku's leap into prominance was almost as sudden as that of Longworth's.
The first heard concerning him outside Honolulu was when he was credited with covering 100yds. in 55 2-5sec., which equalled the world record of the American, C. M. Daniel's.
Honolulu officials immediately applied to the body that controls American swimming - the A.A.U. - to have the record chronicled.
Doubts were cast on the authenticity of the performance.
The watches were wrong.
The measurements of the course were incorrect.
Hawaii was highly indignant.
The Games were approaching.
A subscription list opened which was readily responded to.
Sufficient funds were quickly available to send Duke to the mainland to compete in the American national championships and tests for representation at Olympia.

His first appearance suprised swimming America, and the suprise grew to wonderment.
No longer was his record doubted, for he equalled it, and beat it, though not under championship conditions.
He went to Stockholm the hope of America.
America did not draw the colour line in this instance.
Duke is a coloured boy.
America wanted him, and shut her eyes to that fact.

Everyone in Sydney knows the Australian crawl - the regular arm work and neat, deliberate movement of the legs, which "plomp, plomp" in and out of the water in a vertical direction, sychronising with the arm movements.
But few have seen the American crawl - the Daniels crawl.
It is a stroke similar in many respects to the local style when mastered, but when seen for the first time rather unusual.
Here is seen the rapid double kick, and this is the great difference.
This double kick is very hard to master, and the majority of the front rank Americans have adopted its use.
But of them all Kahanamoku is the "king pin" of style.
High out of the water he swims and his legs twinkle up and down under the surface at an astonishing rate.
His is a continuous rapid vertical movement whish is quite independent of his arm action and as for his arms he moves them in a comparatively deliberate and leisurely manner, and he makes his stroke by slipping the arms into the water with the hands turned sideways.
He glides along the surface at a speed that is said to be amazing, but as sustained action of this kind is very exhausting is seen to slow down considerably after negotiating 50 yards or more.

Kahamamoku's arm action is perhaps the most noticeable variation from the Cavill crawl to the close student of the art of swimming.
In the Cavill method the arms are brought over with with a snap, bent at the elbow.
In the "ducal" style the arms are brought over more slowly and extended practically to their limit for their plough through the water.
Then he changes his arms with a slower roll than did the cavills.

Once under way, the duke (sic) rushes through the water at a great clip, slashing the brine into a turmoil and shovelling it back of him into a conglomeration of suds.
His leg action is the Cavill style down to the minutest detail, though if anything, the leg chop is closer to the surface.
The legs are worked fast, and he gets about twice as much action out of them as he does out of the arms.
He has acquired the art of turning nicely, and sneaks around the ends of the tank like an eel.

A well-educated young fellow is Kahanamoku.
He has been through the college course at Honolulu and he can speak several languages.
In manner he is free, easy and companionable, reminding me of Alex. Wickham.
He is of modest disposition.
With his great reputation he would, without doubt, draw great crowds to all the baths here in which he appeared.

The proposal is to get Kahanamoku here in time to compete in the State championship carnivals.
The question now arises, Will there be any swimmer in Australia capable of giving him anything like a race?
It looks as if there will be a dearth of real first-class sprinters this year.
A visit of a champion swimmer is just what is needed here to make the sport boom, and all swimmers will echo the sentiment expressed at the championship meeting of the association, "We want the duke (sic)."

...

The council concluded the meeting with a discussion on the question of inviting a foreign swimmer to Australia during the season, and as the only swimmer likely to accept an invitation was the 100 metres Olympic champion, Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, it was decided to invite him.
The control of international visits, however, is in the hands of the Australian Swimming Union with power to delegate same, and the hon. secretary was accordingly instructed to ask the union for power to extend the invitation.
If it is desired to have Duke here in time for the State championship, no time should be wasted, as the consent of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States will have to be obtained.
His presence would undoubtedly prove a great attraction, and stimulate public interest in swimming in the achievements of this human flying fish.

The returned Olympic swimmers report that, in addition to being a phenomeon in the water, Kahanamoku, like the majority of Americans, is a fine fellow.
Besides being a marvellous performer over the shorter distances, the Hawaiian was also the fastest of the American team over 200 metres, and in salt water, with the long lap, would be on equal terms with our swimmers over that distance.

This document was provided courtesy of Ray Moran at the Australian Surfing Museum and Manly SLSC.

Image right: "DUKE" KAHANAMOKU The Hawaiian Swimmer World record holder 100 metres, Time 1 min. 2 3/5 secs.

The North Steyne Surf-bathers' Life-saving Club successfully held its sixth annual carnival at Manly on saturday.
It was estimated that 15,000 people witnessed the proceedings.
Every point of vantage overlooking the surf at North Steyne was occupied.
The Manly Band rendered selections during the afternoon.

Great interest was centred in the rescue and resusicitation competition for the Begg's Shield (valued at 100 guineas), which is to be won three times before coming the property of any club.
In 1911 North Steyne won, and in 1912 Bondi was successful.
The latter (A and B teams) were again victorious on Saturday, scoring first and second places with 54 and 52 points respectively; North Steyne being third with 49 points.
The winners hold the shield for 12 months.
The alarm race was also an exciting event, Dr. C.N. smith (North Steyne) defeating Cecil Healy (Manly Surf Club) by about 2s.

The grand parade and march past of clubs, with full life saving equipment, was a splendid display.
Bronte, Freshwater, Manly, North Steyne, Newcastle, Manly Life-saving Club, Bondi, Coogee and North Bondi were represented, the lattter winning the prize.

A special attraction was a team of a dozen Ellice islanders, who were picturesquely clad.
Their songs and war dances were performed admist much merriment.
Subsequently they gave displays in a surf boat.
Mr. Fred Notting also gave interesting displays in his well-known canoe Big Risk.

- Noted in S&G Champion: Drowning, Bathing and Life Saving (2000) page 177.

The bathing inspector under the jurisdiction of the Manly Council, wrote to the aldermen at the last meetIng, asking that they should consider the advisableness of having a portion of the beach set apart for the shooting of breakers with boards.

Many are being used at present by bathers who fringe the crowd.
Those who are unaware of the restrictions use a board in the thickest of the bathing crowd.
If the suggestion were carried out, it would relieve the congestion in the southern corner of the beach.

Dr. Neale was opposed to the use of boards in the surf.
They were, in his opinion, very dangerous.
He had been struck in the back whIle bathing, and it was the reverse of pleasant.
He moved that the bathing inspector be instructed to enforce the regulation dealing with using boards while shooting the breakers.

Alderman Paterson seconded the motion.
The practice of taking boards into the surf should not be allowed.

Alderman Heaton was of the opinion that a portion of the beach should be set apart for the sport of shooting the breakers with boards.
There were many young fellows who like the pastime.

The motion was carried.

Alderman Quirk said that he had witnessed a clever exhibition by a young man who "shot" the breakers with a board.
For fully 100 yd he came in standing on the board, and was loudly applauded by a thousand people for his feat.

- Noted in S&G Champion: Drowning, Bathing and Life Saving (2000) page 179.

- Noted in S&G Champion: Drowning, Bathing and Life Saving (2000) page 179

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
Sir,- Permit me to make a few remarks in regard to a paragraph which appealed in a recent issue of your paper in relation to the use of surf boards.
Alderman Neale, of Manly, staets that he has seen as many as 10 boards in use at the same time in the midst of bathers.
This statement must appear incredible Io anyone who is the habit of frequenting our beaches, so incredible, indeed, that it would appear to suggest a vision of the imagination- or perhaps, like stage soldiers, each board may have been countered several times.

Under the existing ordinances, the authorities of the beach do have the discretionary power to prohibit the use of boards if the safety of any bather is in jeopardy, and it must be admitted by any reasonable person, both in justice to the authorities, and to the users of boards themselves, that this power has been properly exercised, if indeed it has ever proved necessary to do so, for the crowd is the shooters' greatest terror.

I am a regular attendant at the beaches, and also an old hand on the board, and can honestly say that I have never seen the boards used in the midst of the bathers.
The real menace in the surf is the novice, who bumps his way blindly into a crowd of bathers, with his head enveloped in foam,  and not the graceful "board-shooter," whose head is above water, with a weather eye on his course.

I feel assured that all experienced surfers will endorse these sentiments.
I am, etc ,                                                                                DUMPER.

As a result of a battle to the death with a ten-foot eel, the largest ever seen here, Duke Kahanamoku, who won the world's championship at Stockholm, is today minus the index finger on his right hand and his swimming prowess may be permanently impaired.

The swimmer encountered the eel while practicing for the Australian swimming championships off here, and after a fight lasting several minutes, choked it to death.
He was exhausted when he reached the shore, with the eel's body in tow.

http://www.honolulu.gov/cameras/waikiki_beach/duke.htm

Pete Lenz, captain of the local Long Beach high school swimming team, proved a worthy opponent of Duke Kahanamoku, the famous Hawaiian swimmer, last night in the 220-yard race at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the Hawaiian finished less than a half-tank length ahead of the Long Beach boy.
The winner's time was 2 minutes, 41 seconds.
The Hawaiian walked away with the 100-yard event, in which Crary and Howard, of L.A.A.C. were his only opponents, his time being 55 1/5.

The great Hawaiian swimmer and six members of the Hawaiian team spent several hours in Long Beach yesterday.
They came upon the invitation of Pete Lenz.
They couldn't resist the surf and the Duke gave a thrilling exhibition of surfboard riding.
Thousands of people enjoyed watching him.
Many people here have expressed a wish that the Bath House company would present frequent surfboard riding exhibitions such as was offered yesterday.
It is believed they would prove a big card.

http://www.honolulu.gov/cameras/waikiki_beach/duke.htm

It is now practically assured that Duke Paoa Kahanamoku will visit Australia for the coming swimming season, and compete in the Australian championships at Sydney and Brisbane, and most likely swim at the other large centres in the Commonwealth.
An announcement to that effect was made at the council meeting of the New South Wales Amateur Swimming Association on Thursday evening by Mr. W. W. Hill, hon. secretary of the Australian Swimming Union, who has been conducting the negotiations with the famous swimmer on behalf of the State Swimming Association.

Tho Olympic Games champion has expressed his acceptance of the invitation, and is willing to come with his manager and companion, so as to arrive here early in December.
The local body is, however, suggesting that his first appearance should be made early in January, and that he should arrive here about ten days or a fortnight before the first race.
The itinerary will most likely include Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmania, and New Zealand, and the Australian Union is desirous of increasing the interest in swimming throughout Australasia, and the visit of the world's sprint champion should give it the needed impetus.

The tour will be managed by Mr. William T. Rawlins, president of the Hui Nalu Club of Honolulu, who has written to Mr. Hill as follows:
"Duke P. Kahanamoku, having recently returned from California, this club has taken up with him the matter of his visiting Australia to compete in the swimming championships, and Duke has expressed the wish to make the trip.
He has been absent on the mainland since June 18, and we have delayed writing to you with, reference to the matter until we had an opportunity to talk to him in regard to the trip.
The club has attended to all matters pertaining to the trips made by the Duke, and it is our desire that
Duke visit Australia.
We will secure the sanction of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States immediately on receipt of a cable from you that the trip is on.
Duke had a most successful trip in San Francisco, during which he broke many records, among them the 100yds record held by your Wickham.
He is going to San Francisco again on October 8 to compete in the swimming championships during Fortoia Week, and if the trip to Australia is made we will start for Sydney the first week in November."

The New South Wales Association has determined to support the union in arranging the trip, and will guarantee its financial share.
The other States are being communicated with, and it is expected will also fall Into line.

A private cable message was received received yesterday Sydney Sydney from Mr. W. W. Hill, hon. secretary of the Australian Swimming Union, from Honolulu, to the effect that private business will prevent the world's Olympic champion,  ... 53 words 

Mr. W. W. Hill, secretary of the Now South Wales Rugby Union, Australian Swimming Union, Olympic Fund Committee, and general all-round sporting enthusiast, returned to Sydney yesterday by the R.M.S. Niagara, after a brief visit to California.

The Sydney sportsman was specially invited by the Universities of California and Leland Stanford to referee their annual Rugby game, and he left Sydney, accompanied by Mrs. Hill, on October 4.
He officiated in that game and also refereed matches played by the New Zealand "All Blacks" against the All-American team, and California University, and also the annual fixture between Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
He accompanied the New Zealanders and refereed their game at Fiji.

... (Football)

Mr. Hill visited Honolulu, on his way home, to interview Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, the famous Hawaiian world's champion sprint swimmer, in regard to a visit to Australia.
Unfortunately, the "Duke" has some urgent private business to attend to.
When at Honolulu, Mr. Hill mastered the art of surf-board riding, and canoeing in front of the wave; which sport is made possible by the formation of the Waikiki beach, which brings in a long easy roll. "There are some fine swimmers at Honolulu besides Kahanamoku," continued Mr. Hill, "and the Hawaiian Athletic Union wants to send a team to Australia next season.
George Cunha is the best, and has swam 100 yards in 57 seconds."

... (Baseball)

"Everywhere I went," concluded Mr. Hill, "I had an enjoyable time."

An Australian's first impression of the famous Waikiki beach at Honolulu is decidedly disappointing. Waikiki, means "spouting water," and the world-famous bathing place Is about 1 1/2 mile long; and many hotels and boarding houses are situated there, and some of the dining rooms reach over to the beach.

The sandy portion does not exceed 25 yards in width at any point; and the rise and fall of the tide is very slight.
However, it is the formation of the beach that has made the locality so famous.
Coral abounds on the bottom, and a reef stretches right across the bay about half a mile from shore. Inside the water is quite shallow, and swimmers are frequently seen two hundred yards from shore and when they stand up they are only waist deep in the water.
It is this shallowness and very gradual slope that gives the waves their long, easy, regular roll and makes surf- board riding and canoeing so delightful.

Tho board is about seven feet long, and eighteen inches wide, with a convex top.
About 300 yards out a wave is selected, and then, lying flat on the board with the arms used in paddle fashion, as much impetus as possible is gained before the wave reaches the surfer.
The position is maintained until one is certain that the wave is carrying its burden, when the enjoyment is increased by first assuming a kneeling position, and then standing erect in the centre of the board.
This is kept up for more than 200 yards; and sometimes those who can balance well, stand on their heads.
The experience is very pleasant; and, once the art is mastered, everything is forgotten in the keen enjoyment of the exercise.

The canoeing is performed in what are called outriggers.
These are dug out logs in which about six people are each provided with a seat and a paddle.
The outriggers stretch about 6ft out, and a smaller log joins them and balances the canoe.
The boat is paddled out to the wave, and the same process in starting is gone through as is done on the surf board.
Sufficient impetus is attained before the wave reaches the canoe; then the paddling ceases and the boat goes careering along at a terrific pace, with the water coming over the bow.

The man in the stern keeps the course, straight in front of the wave, with his paddle as a rudder; and sometimes when there are signs of the wave rushing past the boat, all hands resume paddling and the position in front is maintained.

With both surf board and the canoe there is plenty of pleasurable exercise.
These delightful pastimes have most deservedly made Waikiki world famous; and with an even temperature in the water of 74 degrees bathing Is enjoyable all the year round.

It was Waikiki that produced the greatest sprint swimmer that the world has yet known - Duke Paoa Kabanamoku.
He was named "Duke" after his father, who was given the name by a loving parent in honour of the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh, who arrived at Honolulu on the day that the first Duke Kahanamoku was born.
Paoa was the name of the grandfather of the champion, and "Kahanamoku," in the native language means "shipbuilder," from which occupation the family no doubt derived its name.

Twenty-three years of age, six feet one inch tall, and weighing in street attire nearly 14 stone, Duke, as he is known to everyone in the Islands, is the perfect type of an athlete.
He has large shoulders, upper arm, and chest, and is very clean limbed, and moves with ease and freedom.
Duke is a member of the Hui Nalu, which means "surf club," and the broad Pacific is his playground.

For some time he outpaced his fellows in both sprint and distance events; and at a carnival held In the Honolulu harbour in 1912 he won the 100 yards swim, in the world's record time for a straightaway course, viz., 55 2-5s.
The great swimmer secured a place in the United States team for the fifth Olympic Games at Stockholm.
His first essay gave cause for doubt, as he was forced to retire with cramp.
To one unused to turning, and to small bathing pools, and who had previously known only the ocean for his swimming practice, the new conditions were decidedly awkward.
However, his second trial silenced everyone; and he just showed his heels to all the great sprinters of the eastern part of the union and was selected.
Recently the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States placed seven more records to Duke's credit, and the world's record figures now against his name are as follow:-
50 yards.- 23 1-5s, at Olympic Club, San Francisco, July, 1913.
75 yards- 37 1-3s, at Olympic Club, San Francisco, July, 1913.
100 yards, straightaway- 52 2-5s, at Honolulu, June, 1912.
100 yards, one turn- 54 3-5s, at Satro Baths, July 5, 1912.
100 metres- 61 3-5s, Hamburg, Germany, July, 1912.

All the above times are seconds-foot fractions ahead of the next best swims for the same distance.

Duke is employed as a draughtsman in the Public Works Department of the Islands, and is very successful in his work.
He has a very retiring disposition, and one soon makes friends with him.

He will willingly exhibit his stroke and kick in the water to anyone who is interested.
Up and down the beach he will swim, with his long-reaching crawl stroke; flat on the water with an easy roll to one side, and an easier one to the other.
When asked how he "kicked," Duke was quite at a loss to explain; and he finally gave it up, and said he did not know, but just kept going naturally.

A close watch shows his right leg moving a little faster than his left, in the ratio of about three of the former to trwo of the latter.
In the longer distance work, he moves slower in all respects, and there is less disturbance in the water.

Kahanamoku Is very eager to visit Australia, and never seemed to tire of asking questions about the bathing enclosures and beaches.
He was surprised to hear of the enclosed baths, as, like all the natives, he has no fear of sharks.
The natives swim about everywhere without a second thought about sharks, although they are known to abound there.
Harpooning these monsters is one of the pastimes in which Duke and his friends fill in their week-ends.
A carcase is towed out into the deep water behind a boat, and, after hours and hours of watching and walting the sharks that had been swim-ming around the boat some distance away gradually begin to draw in closer.

Finally, one more game than the rest, will make a bite at the carcase and when it has assured itself that the animal is dead, it takes another bite.
Then the carcase is pulled in close to the boat, and the native throws his harpoon unerringly at the shark, striking between the fins.
Then the shark is pulled in, taken ashore and sold to the Chinese, who eat the flesh and fins.

It can be confidently anticipated that Duke will swim even faster in Sydney than he has done hitherto. When the shallow, dragglng nature of the Waikiki beach, and the small indoor pools of San Francisco and Los Angeles are compared with the splendid 100 metres staightaway course at the Sydney Domain baths, everthing suggests faster times.
He should easily acclimatise and the temperature of the water and surroundings generally, should be in the champion's favour when he visits us in December next.
The Hawaiians are also eager to see their territory represented by a team of four, to engage our best men in a relay race.

The Dee Why Lifesaving and Surf Club held its first annual carnival on Saturday at Dee Why Beach.
There was in attendance of about 3000.
Nine clubs were represented in the grand parade and march past which was a very creditable display.
Cronulla Club was awarded the prize.

The principal event was the rescue and resuscitation competition for the Gardiner Cup held by the Manly Lifesaving Club but handed to that body to Deewhy for competition.
Five teams entered and Manly Club retained it with 432 (?) points.
The surf relay race was won by North Steyne represented by I. Solomons and L. V. Hind
North Steyne also won the novice surf race and several of the beach events.
Only two competitors- Miss Leatham and Miss Abrahams- started in the ladies surf race.
The latter however gave up before the shore was reached, and had to be rescued.
Another sensational incident occurred in the surf race.
One of the competitors (C. Knight of Deewhy Club) was rescued and brought lo shore in an exhausted state, and several minutes lapsed before animation was restored
Results -
...
Ladies Surf Race- Miss Leatham (Freshwater) 1, Mrs Abrahams (Brookvale) also started.

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