VALUABLE WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1944, Page 7

VALUABLE WORK

TEACHING OF..SWIMMING -, Gratificatidn. at the interest being .itaken by the Education Department in .teaching "school children' to swim, was fcxprelsed-^by Mr. J: B. F. Cotterill tGovernirient,, Wanganui), when discussing the' Estimates of the Department in the HOttse- of. Representatives last ni#it. . >h -y Unfortunately, he Bg|id,'he thought /there had been a fait •• amount of jealousy between the Swimming Association ahd the Department. .Probably there had been faults on both Sides, tout he thought it had to be' recognised* that.the association Was the pioneer in swimming instruction.' Now that the Education Department had taken up-the question with such enthusiasm (he thought it would be all to the good if each recognised that it was playing a valuable part in the work. Money spent on swimming instruction was well spent, said Mr. Cotterill, because he knew of no other form of ■physical recreation .that was more body building and health giving than swimming.- At the same.time it enabled the children to protect themselves in the water. ; -In addition, the Department had been training its school teachers aj swimming instructors. He understood that already some 50 men and 50 women had been trained and were now expert, instructors. Most of the men were not available at the present time, because they were serving with the Forces, but as the training scheme expanded teachers . were being made j available to the schools throughout the j Dominion as instructors.