SWIMMING AND LIFESAVING

Evening Star, Issue 14529, 3 December 1910, Page 2

SWIMMING AND LIFESAVING

So far as modern conveniences for the heauii and comfort of her people are con- ! cerned, Dunedin in most respects will compare favorably with any other town of similar size in the Dominion. An ample supply of pood water, a complete drainage scheme under way, an efficient and cheap system of electric tramways, cheap lighting, heating, and cooking by electricity or gas, beautiful and well-kept public gardens and reserves—of all. these tho people of Dunedin aro justly proud. In one respect, however, the City Fathers ot the past have failed miserably in their duty towards the young people of the community. Wo refer to the lamentable lack of provision for the teaching of swimming and life-saving. That swimming is regarded as an essential part of a. child's education is shown from tho fact that it is included in the primary school syllabus, and that a capitation grant of half a crown is made by tho Education Department for ©very boy or girl who is taught to swim in compliance with the conditions laid down by regulations. Despite those facts, however, wo are told that not one in twenty of the boys and girls over ten years of age attending our primary schools can swim a stroke. This is a deplorable, not to say disgraceful, state of affairs, that calls aloud for remedy.

For years numbers of public-spirited gentlemen have been endeavoring to educate public opinion at> to tho urgent necessity of establishing public baths in the City. Their labors have so far borne fruit that a fine central site has been secured, plans have been prepared and approved, and in a few days the ratepayers will be called upon to sanction a loan of £IO,OOO for the construction and equipment of the proposed baths. The site, as wo have said, is a central and suitable one. It is close to the Technical School and the Railway Station, and in tho midst of factories, foundries, and warehouses. Mr Henry, one of tho founders and tho chief secretary of the Royal Life-saving Society, who recently visited our City, expressed the opinion that the site was an ideal one, and that the plans were excellent and well suited to the site. And tho opinion of Mr Henry, who has a world-wide reputation in connection with swimming and lifesaving, ought to count for much. In his lecture Mr Henry pointed out that in England there were no fewer than 700 to 800 tepid baths, and that this number went on constantly inneasing. In London alone, Mr Henry said, there were 128 tepid swimming baths. Further, he told his audience that every year 300,000 children in tho London public schools were taught swimming. These are farts and figures that the ratepayers will do well to weigh. They will, wo feel sure, influence them in voting in favor of the loan and in hastening to remove the reproach that now rests upon our fair City, Wo are strongly of opinion that' when Dunedin is provided with a six ty-thousand-gal lon tepid swimming pool, hot and cold plunge and shower baths, and Turkish baths, all well ventilated and carefully kept, they will be patronised to such an extent that they will be found to pay the interest on the loan and the cost of up-kcep. But suppose they do not quite do this. There still remains the bmmdcii duty of the community to provide the means by which our children can learn the art of swimming and life-saving, and this can, be done in thie, climate only by providing tepid baths, in which bathers can remain in comfort long enough to be thoroughly taught, and where they can have sufficient practice, without which they can never become proficient. On tho point of revenue there is one tael wo should like to emphasise. Wo believe that if school committees and teachers will only interest themselves in tho physical welfare of the children—and we have no doubt about the matter--at least 800 pupils trom our public schools will .attend the swimming classes, and this will mean £IOO per annum, or about one-fourth oi the interest on tho £IO,OOO loan.

Wc trust 1 hat thonc opposed to the sug.site, and proposed plants will yet i-aippoit 1 In- loan, and that reetii od , let them call a public meeting for tile purpose of discussing t!u; best way ol expendin'* it. hut in no case should there, lie an indefinite post poutmerit of the making of provision for the teaching of swimmint; and life-saving to our children by re fusing the required money.