SWIMMERS COMPLAIN

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 71, 17 December 1935, Page 10

SWIMMERS COMPLAIN

Incident at Te Aro Baths

CITY COUNCIL CRITICISED

Much iudiguatiou was evinced at last night’s meeting of the Wellington Swimming Centre when discussing the treatment accorded the centre in being turned out of the Te Aro Baths on Saturday before the few events arranged for the opening of the season could be got off. It was decided to write a letter of protest to the City Council “in the strongest language possible.” “I don’t know who is to blame, but I think something should be done about it,” said a delegate who brought up the question. Mr. Claridgc said it was not as though it was a swimming carnival that was being held. “AU we wanted was a bit of the baths for half or threequarters of an hour and we could not get it.” be said. “If we can’t get that then things have comes to a pretty pass. Many swimmers are fed up. All the old-timers are complaining, too, that they can no longer get their sun-bath-ing. The general tone about those in charge of the baths is one of gruffness. When we ask for something to be done all we get is sour grapes from the caretaker. I object to taking it lying down.” Mr. N. N. Oldershaw (hon. secretary) said that he had always found the caretaker all right. “It is not so much the custodian, said a delegate, “as that the blame is higher up.” (Hear, hear.) So far as Saturday’s incidents were concerned, Mr. Oldershaw explained that no application was made to the City Council for the baths as for a carnival. “If wo apply for the baths as for a carnival Hie council closes the baths and charges us £5/12/6. Ou Saturday afternoon the custodian told me it was not possible for us to stay in the baths to 3.15. Cr. Gaudin said he got in touch with the director of reserves and tried lo get the baths kept open for mixed bathing. The director of reserves, however, says that no one got in touch with him. Somebody must be wrong.” Pointing out that the trouble was caused through the necessity of cleaning the baths, one delegate said: “The council, instead of getting to work directly after last season to clean the baths, has waited until tliis season. It is losing revenue by its action. Nothing can be done, until I lie middle of January. The fault: is not with the director of reserves or the custodian of the baths, but. with the council as a whole. We took it for granted the baths would be available to us, and we worked on that belief.” Mr. Blakeley said that no private concern would act as the council had acted. Mr. McCartney agreed with Mr. Blakeley. “Here we are in the middle of the season and no place to bathe in. The council ought to have cleaned out the baths immediately after the close of last season.

"The City Council has doue nothing for swimming,” continued Mr. McCartney. “There should be some investigation of the administration of the facilities provided for the various sports bodies in Wellington. All are crying out. People who are doing their best are disgusted.” Mr. McCartney also said that tbe baths, in one corner, were not safe for children to bathe in, and that if wire netting was not nhtceil there some child would probably be drowned. “It is a disgrace to Wellington that we have to send our children to a place like that. See what they are doing in Lower Hutt and in Petone, compared with what is being done in Wellington. The whole thing is, the councillors have no idea of the requirements of swimmers, aud no interest in them.” Mr. McCartney concluded by saying that the centre, having criticised to the full, should now try to educate the council and help it in all the ways it could.