LEARNERS’ POOL

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30593, 9 November 1964, Page 15

LEARNERS’ POOL

Elmwood To Investigate

A learners’ pool at the Elmwood Normal School would be a very good school and district amenity, said the headmaster (Mr L. A. Heyward) at the opening of the Elmwood Swimming Club’s season on Saturday.

A consulting engineer had been engaged to report on the present pool and to ascertain if a learners’ pool could be served by the existing filtration plant, he said. A £450 subsidy was waiting and additional unexpended funds might be available for linking the proposed learners' pool with the filtration plant, he added.

Mr Heyward, who declared the club's season open, said 350 pupils out of the Elmwood school’s total roll of 500 had gained proficiency seals in swimming last year. He congratulated the club on its winning of the Yaldhurst Shield and one of the club’s members, Mr A. J. Donaldson, on his election as a life member of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. The opening of the new Jellie Park pool should not be the signal for a large-scale migration, said the president of the Canterbury Swimming Centre (Mr M. R. Duckmanton). He urged the club to preserve its individuality. The pool, he said, was as good as any of its age in Christchurch.

Other speakers were Mr Donaldson, who is chairman of the council of the New Zealand association, and the patron of the club (Mr J. P. Donnelly). Mr J. Breward conducted a demonstration of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Opening day was marked by a series of club races, in which R J. Hay, the national junior 110 yards breaststroke champion and holder of five Canterbury boys’ titles, took a prominent part. Other Canterbury champions who swam well were P. Hay. R. Rough. Tul Shipston, Rae Mackenzie and Rosemary