TO-DAY'S CEREMONY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 99, 23 October 1924, Page 9

TO-DAY'S CEREMONY

OPENING OF PLUNKET

ROOMS

NEW SWIMMING BATHS

GIFT OF £5000.

The new building containing a Plunket Society room, ladies' rest room, and dental parlours, ' erected on the Municipal Park at the Lower Hutt, was opened

this afternoon by Her Excellency Lady Jellicoe. There,was a large attendance of residents of the borough and surrounding district. The grounds were brightly flagged, and the-proceedings throughout were marked by the greatest enthusiasm, the people of the Hutt Valley showing a fine example of co-operation and community spirit. A guard of honour was formed by tHe Girl Guides, and some 800 children from the public schools led the singing of the Nalional Anthem on Her liscellency's arrival. In inviting Her Excellency to formally open the new building, the Mayor (Mr. W. T. Strand) said it was his great privilege, on behalf of the local Borough Council and the residents of the district, to extend to Lady Jellicoe a most cordial welcome. "We esteem it a great favour indeed," said the Mayor, "that ' amongst your msmy pressing duties you have found it convenient to be present to-day to officially open this institution, which is, wo believe, unique" of its kind m the _ Dominion., During your brief sojourn in this land, you have been unselfish in your devotion to the needs of this far-flung outpost of the British Empire. Your practical interest in the general welfare of the people is gratefully acknowledged and-highly appreciated by all.; Knowing ( that that interest has extended to the young life of the Dominion, and that the children have a very dear! place in your heart, we humbly desire to associate you in this day with the young people of our community ere you leave our shores. We deeply regret that your departure is so imminent; but this official act of Your Excellency to-day will add another link to the ties that bind you to the people of this Dominion. Your record is unsurpassed,- and your name will be revered long after you return to our Motherland. GENEROUS HELP ACKNOWLEDGED. ."Just before asking Your Excellency to take the key and declare the institution op,eu to. the public, may I take this opportunity of thanking all those adies and gentlemen' whose generosity has made it possible to erect tho pott tion of this building that is to be ised for the babies and children of tho district. May I say how thankful I am' for the wonderful community spirit that i S t ;?V r? hele- The» may be selected tho best men in the district to serve on tho council, but without hearty help and co-operation progress is impos"Some months ago," continued tho Mayor, "Councilor Mitchell generously offered me the .sum of £500 for the mothers, ,and children of the boWhwluch offer was very quickly followed by handsome donations from Mr and M?V?- f £ Wen' Mr- R- Hannah Mr and Mrs F. Cooper, Messrs. C. C Odlin'Cooper, Mowbray, W. Uoles, H, Jl S ward, and F. Jenness, whose names appear upon the donors' -board hung in the entrance hall, through whose kindn e s of heart and love for humanity this build ing was erected. I am • desirm^ f thanking all those who have w °t materially helped in so many other ways to make our district better Ld brighter I thank those ladies and gentlemen' young men and young women whose names are too numerous to mention but whose kindy help and hearty co-opera ■turn are going to make our valley a Xce ■of joy and delight for young andoW I desire to thank the architect Mr J Howard, for the beautiful desien \nd comfort of the building aho «™ r'T,''? 1';, m- T- Morris, who has so faithfully earned out the work entrust ed to his care. • MESSRS. RIDDIirORirs LETTER. "On Monday last, 20th October " continued the Mayor,"] received the followWC letter ;— I ( '\Jiv. \V. T. Sl.riin.l Mjiyttf, L^ vva j

Hutt.—Dear Sir,—Now that we have finally disposed of. the, Middlemarcb. property,, held by various members of the family, .to the Government, my . brothers, Dan and Eric, and myself, have in mind marking in some way the long connection of our late/father and our-, selves with' the Hutt 'district.

"'We understand it is proposed by your council to initiate a new scheme of public utility on part of this property. It occurred to us that-as water is believed to be readily available, we could not do better than create a charitable trust for the purpose of erecting public swiniming baths on some pant of the council's property considered suitable for the purpose. "'ln handing to-the council the money required for the purpose, upon trust, to

ZfSZSE&Z &&i^&*& they be of modern tiled type j and we Mayor said: "The. magnificent sum of ed Her Excellency with a special book-* shoud also like to make a condition that £5000 has been placed in trust to t'fcV lefc from tha Lower ; Hutt . Plunket. consideration be shown by the council „ Zf^ l V « trust to the i a< j ies . tr:e contra ctor for the building to Miss Fitzgerald, Chilton St. James credlt oi-the borough council lor this presented Her Excellency with a"< <rolSchpol, by alfowing that school a short W^;«£a tentative plan has been §^k^ 6&b^ k hS: penod during < each day m which- the £$"** J^ " n°- ft d°U^ wh,a^ver. Eome bouquet was also handed to Lady chidren might have exclusive use of'the toha™ a mS P g ? wlll .^able us j e -i lico6 £ M iss Barbara Ewen. . baths. , Jo. nave a swimming-pool worthy of. the Her Excellency' then turned the key J'.'The method of construction is left '1 T° f thß°lde? in"he SSranJPfo^ally^lre^ entirely to the council, but naturally an(l. m°st respected families. . On the building opened -/ we should like to see the plans before recelP.t of the offer, a meeting of the AAA S p<=.i™. . a contract is accepted, in ca.e-we have coun"l T^-M*' at which »'*««'muuii- M At^, eBSeS delivered by Sir any suggestions to make. If the pro- mouslv decl<*ed to build baths in these ?™, fe lnl£el °? ?^ a >^I-" posal meets with, your approval! you gE^nds and that they should be called £ r M^™ io&™™ be, r fo, T*e ■*»t™*? may announce our intention at the Riddiford Garden,' to perpetuate for S%J™;T,I M*' h?ad of the Plunket . first convenient opportunity-Yours aU *??"» such- a onerous donation,' and Society, and Mr. Hunter Director oj faithfully, Vivian Riddiford, for D H one will be for so long a blessing Dental Hygiene. Lady Jelliooe and E Riddiford1" ' lor ■»■'•.■"• to this place." h the f other guests were entertained at af- •' ■•;■■■■ ' \ • .ternoon tea by the Plunket Society. ,