BEAUTIFUL BATHS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 306, 24 November 1932, Page 4

BEAUTIFUL BATHS

THE HOKOWHITU POOL. SPLENDID SURROUNDINGS. The Hokowhitu district was eu fete yesterday afternoon, when the addiItions to the swimming baths at the school were officially opened. These have made the pool one of the most beautiful in the Dominion and tho very large number who attended the function were impressed by the panorama presented on entering the baths. The day was excellent for the ceremonv and the pal» green water, set in a white border of cement, had a beautiful background of garden plots and lawns, while the tall trees beyond provided the finishing touch to a most artistic conception. The opening took place at 3 o’clock when the 3layor (31 r A. E. Mansford) performed the ceremony. There was a very large official party which included 31essrs R. L. C. A itch iso n and H. B. Free (City Council), D. Coilis and Mrs Collis (country school committees). E. F. Hemingway (chairman of the 33'anganui Education Board), 3V. H. Swanger (secretary of j the board), E. R. Hodge (architect), I members of city school committees, headmasters of the various schools, ! and a number of ladies. The gather- I ing was a particula.rlv happy one and ; tho School Committee received many ! deserving congratulations on their achievement.

Apologies for absence were received from 3lessrs J. A. Nash, 31. P., 31. H. Oram, J. R.. Hardie, J. McLeod. J. K. Hornblow, 33. G. Blackie (senior inspector), 33'. L. Fitzherbert, 31 r and 31 rs Halse and members of the 33'est End School Committee.

3lr G. D. Pattle, chairman of the Hokowhitu School Committee, expressed gratification at the large attendance, which showed the interest taken in the baths. Tracing their history, Mr Pattle said that in 1929 the pool was commenced with £3OO in hand. The City Council had donated the area of land required and during the construction of the baths bad rendered splendid assistance. The Unemployment Board, on coming into being, had been of material assistance, so that early in 1930 the then 3lavor (3lr A. J. Graham) had been able' to open the pool. Later, upon the decapitation of the Central School, following the Hawke’s Bay earthquake, , the opportunity had been taken to ob-1 feain several thousand bricks, while 3lessrs H. E. Townshend and Brick and Pipes, Ltd., had been most helpful in the matter of building materials, to provide facilities for the baths. The laying out of the lawns and gardens was the result of 3lr Buxton’s work, while the nurserymen of Hokowhitu had donated the trees. “It- is an illwind that blows nobody anv good (and if it had not been for the economic blizzard, we would not have been in the happy position of having one of the finest swimming pools in the Dominion,” concluded 3Tr Pattle. BOARD’S WIDE AREA.

3lr Hemingway,- who was the next speaker, said that he would like to tender his very hearty thanks to the committee for the kind invitation to 3lrs Hemingway and himself to be present. They had heard quite a lot at the hoard’s table of tho good work carried out by the Hokowhitu School Committee, and the completion of the hath was tho crowning effort for which they were to be highly commended. On behalf of the members of the ooard, lie heartily congratulated them on the suc-

cess of their efforts and liopecl that the hath would be a complete success and would he the means of teaching many child ren to swim. It was not the time for making long speeches, but they would forgive him if he took up a minute or two to say a word or two about the board. They were a body of men who never made speeches. If lie were to be asked to givo the board a motto, it would “Acta lion verba,” i.e. “Deeds, not words.” As they all knew, the board exercised jurisdiction over the schools in the district extending from Tniimarunui in the north, to Merton in the south, and on the west up to Manutnhi, about ten miles south of Hnwera. 'The fact that the board got through the business dealing with the whole of this area in about four hours each month showed that the members got down to business and did not waste time in talking. Incidentally. it spoke volumes for the staff which had not its superior in-the Dominion. Mr Swanger, with nearly ■lO years of service, was the best secretary in the Dominion, and Mr Hodge, as a school architect, was “facile princeps” among the architects in the Dominion. Ho would like, if they would not

j think him presumptuous,' to pay a tri- | bate to the‘men they had seitf to the board’s table from the Palmerston ] North district. They had all beeil men of the very highest type, men whoso ! sole aim and object was the welfare of ! the children. Messrs J,. R. Bryant W. r. Mood, P. C. Freeth, F. Pirani, (j . H. Bennett, A. J. Mahon, E. L. Broad. W. L. Birnie, W. F. Durward M. H. Oram, Colonel J. H. Whyte, W. S. M oodroofe, and J. K. Hornblow were mentioned by Mr Hemingway as men who had either given or were giving of their best for the children’s sake, and it was an honour and a privilege to be associated with them. The chairman of the Palmerston North Hospital Board (Mr Hornblow) was one of the keenest debaters when necessary, and one of the hardest workers they' could wish to have on any local body'

In conclusion, Mr Hemingwav exexpressed the hope that the baths would be the means of saving many lives bv teaching children to swim. “On behalf of the members of the Wanganui Education Board I desire to congratulate you on the energy, enterprise and effort you have put forward on behalf of the children of this district in providing them with this excellent swimming bath. I can only say ‘tile world is richer that you have' lived to-day’ ” concluded the speaker amid applause,’ he being accorded three hearty cheers by the children.

Mr Mansford said he was pleased to attend the function. The baths must be unique in New Zealand for their design, and he congratulated the School Committee on their work. Their efforts were worthy of emulation by other committees. Only two schools in the city were now without baths, and there was no excuse for the children not being able to swim. If the art had been taught earlier many lives would have been saved to the Dominion, he said, pointing out that a few years ago 160 lives were lost by drowning annually, whereas the number had dropped to 130 last vear.

“I am rather reluctant to speak, but I think that the department and the board have not supported committees as much as they should. I may be wrong, but that is my own personal opinion,” he said. “I hope that more confidence will be placed in committees and this will be reflected in the parents.” Mr Mansford then declared the new grounds and buildings opened and he was warmly cheered.

There was a pleasing incident, when Alice Fleck, the daughter of Mr J., B. Fleck, a committeeman, presented Mrs Mansford with a bouquet. Tbe baths having been declared open, a short programme of events for the children was •’conducted, the results being as follow: Boys, 10 years and under: Taylor 1, Thomson 2, Richardson 3. Girls, 11 years and under: O. Bloomfield 1. M. Purdont 2, R. Stevens 3. Boys, 12 years and under, first heat: ’Wycherley l t Shipton 2, Parton 3; second heat, Richardson 1, Lunn 2. Burden 3; final, Wycherley 1, Richardson 2, Lunn 3. Girls, 1? and under,

first heat: J. Sankey 1, P. K™"™ ?> J Selwyn 3; second heat, J. '-te\en- 1, P. Raven 2, J. Cooper 3; final J. Stevens 1, 1. Cooper 2, P. 3. Bovs, open, first Vat: Iremewan 1, Harris 2, West-lie 3; second heat, Shailer 1, Wycherley 2, Noting 3, final, Harris 1, West-lie 2, M ychorley 3 Girls, open, D. Kingsbeer 1. M. *rank 2 J Trask 3. Boy? diving: Toung 1, Harris 2. Richardson 3. Girls diving: Denzil Kingsbeer 1, J. Selwjn 2. M. Wilson 3. During the afternoon refreshments were served in tbe school by members of the ladies’ committee.