TEPID BATHS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 119, 16 November 1937, Page 6

TEPID BATHS

HOPE IN NEW BILL

NO NEED TO CONSULT

RATEPAYERS

POWER FOR LOCAL BODIES

.The opinion that he saw hope of adequate tepid municipal swimming baths being provided in Wellington as a sequel to the passing of the Bill establishing the National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation was expressed by a speaker at the annual meeting of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association last night. The retiring chairman, Mr. D. S. N. McCartney, said that he understood plans for municipal tepid baths were being prepared. He doubted whether the scheme would materialise, but said that the centre appreciated being asked to criticise the plans. The expenditure of ;£7SO,OQO in additions to' the Wellington Public' Hospital was being considered, ; l6ut it . one^-tenth: of that sum was spent on good baths, the money would not. be needed on hospital improvements. ■ At present the people of Wellington were. not swim-ming-Jninded, but children taught in baths ;would become swimming-minded. As an example, at a 'typical house picnic at Day!s Bay not 10 per cent, of those who attended chose to swim. In the event of a ferry boat disaster, probably not a tenth,of the people could swim to save their Uyes. The necessity of teaching children to swim should be impressed on the City Council, particularly as there were more cases of drowning than transport fatalities. . The centre must have teachers taught1, how to teach swimming P>jperly.v; :. "A RAY OF LIGHT/ Mi1. P. N. Rundle said.that thepublic should realise that when the centre pushed for baths: it did not do so with a selfish motive, but 'for the public good. "I see a ray of. light in the cloud? in connection with the Council oi Sport," he continued. ; . "One important point is' being pro-vided-for, and that is the giving: of authority to local, bodies ,to spend money for the physical well-being; of the community without having to take a poll on the subject. That is a very .important point in Wellington. When it becomes law this week or next week the WellingtonxCity Council will be able to go ahead without going to the ratepayers. When the ratepayers see the baths hi operation' for twelve months, they will be pleased the council took It into its own hands. I know no city in New Zealand which oilers a better field for:'municipal baths than this." . :.%.. ;•' ~■'■■:< ■ ".'■■ : -.!"■■ ,He also; emphasised their value to the large- boarding-house and apartment population.: ' ■ , It was pointed out by Mr. W. H. Gerrie that the number of,; suitable sites was fast diminishing. L ■ ;: A letter from1: the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association asked the centre to: survey the - swimming facilities of its district, with reference to" tepid • baths, and the number of people who would be served. This would be, of assistance to the National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation, one of the first duties of which would be to survey the facilities for sport. ; "The surest way of getting the baths that are needed is to ask for therti,"stated the letter. "The greatest care should be taken to see that no district is overlooked in this respect. Make the list as complete as possible and forward your survey as soon as you have completed it. You are not, of course, restricted to baths in this survey. It can cover any scope you wish. Our object is to be in the position, as soon as the national council starts to function, to be able to present it with a complete case for swimming." Trie letter was referred to centres and local bodies in country towns in the district. ■ ■■■'.■■■..: