Young swimmer crosses harbour

In swimming across the Otago Harbour yesterday morning Miss Kathleen Miller, a 16-year-old pupil of Mr H.E. Olds (custodian of the Municipal Baths) accomplished a feat of which many men might justly be proud. The course she set out to cover was a mile, but as she went about 400 or 500 yards out of her way, Miss Miller has that added distance to her credit. Miss Miller is already well known in swimming circles as champion of the Girls’ High School. When Mr Olds took her in hand a few years ago she could not swim a yard, but by the progress she has made of late it is confidently expected that she will do great things in the near future. Yesterday morning’s swim was from the Victoria wharf, near the Harbour Board’s dredge, to the powder hulk, Anderson’s Bay, this being a measured mile course. The sea was very choppy in mid-channel, forcing the young swimmer to use the plane in order to keep the seas out of her face as much as possible. It was necessary in the circumstances for Miss Miller to take a circuitous course, and, under the adverse conditions, it was a remarkable feat to cover the distance in 33min 22 4/5sec. The swimmer demonstrated clearly the merits and possibilities of the crawl stroke, as over the whole she thrashed the six beat without variation, and was even able to accelerate her speed as she went on. She finished strongly, and showed absolutely no sign of fatigue. In fact, she was quite willing to undertake the return journey, had Mr Olds thought it advisable. 

The swimmer regarded the whole journey as a novel and amusing experience. A rowboat, containing Messrs P. Brough (Otago senior oarsman), L. Simpson (Otago Rowing Club), and H.B. Olds, accompanied the swimmer. There is no record of the feat having been accomplished by a woman, or, as in this case, a young girl.

Exhibition’s millionth visit

The gold watch awarded to the millionth visitor was won by a lucky Invercargill girl, Miss Jean Lamont, aged 17, of 41, Simprin street, Gladstone, Invercargill, who visited the Exhibition for the first time yesterday.

Shortly after 2.30pm, the Chairman of Directors, Mr J. Sutherland Ross, and the Manager, Mr C.P. Hainsworth, made their appearance at the main gates, and all turnstiles except one were closed. A large crowd of visitors gathered on the inside of the gates, and waited in the warm sunshine to catch sight of the lucky person, and outside hundreds stood by the single turnstile and waited patiently until they imagined the time was ripe.

During the last few minutes the excitement was intense, many attempting the almost impossible task of calculating the moment when the million mark should be reached. No one knew save the manager, and he gave no indication of the rapidly-increasing total. Then came Miss Lamont, eager to enter the main gates on her very first visit to Logan Park, and careless of the competition that was occupying the attention of experienced Exhibition-goers.

The turnstile clicked over once more, Mr Hainsworth gave the signal, and as the big gathering cheered, the young visitor found herself being congratulated by the Chairman of Directors. The party entered the manager’s office, where Miss Lamont, blushing at the suddenness of it all, was presented with a handsome solid gold wristlet watch and band, and a season ticket to the Exhibition.

"I had no intention of trying to win the prize," she said. "We were being pushed by the crowd, and as it is my first visit, I tried to get in as fast as I could." — ODT, 15.1.1926