A CIVIC DUTY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, 15 July 1912, Page 4

A CIVIC DUTY.

NkLSON'S BiG RESPONSIBILITY CAN WE AFJJORD TO DO WITHOUT THE BATHS ? Those people who profess to believe that public baths aro not necessary in. this community are invited to read the interview a "Mail" reporter this morning had with Mr F, V. Knapp, lieadmaster of the Girls' Central School. The stato of affairs as described' by him will doubttesn bring every Nelsonian to a sense of his Responsibility in the matter. Hundreds of people annually lose their lives simply because of not being able 1 to swim. At the Girls' School only 39 out of 250 girls are able Uf swim. This has been brought about during the past few years, simply because there are' no .public baths. o A MOST HEALTHY EXERCISE', Naturally Mr K'li.'Jpjy is an ardent supporter of the proposal. Mr ICnapp's position enables him to speak With authority on the important necessity of the children learning to swim, and the beneficial influence fhe exercise creates on both mind! and body. Speaking of the great valuß English arid Continental educational authorities put ori _ swimming., Mr Knapp to-day informed the 'reporter that for the last 30 years it has been a recognised subject in German) and English schools. So important da the 'Germans consider the question, thaft it has actually been made a compulsory subject, and all schools now erected are fut'iiished with proper bathing equipment, including spray hatha. Children are not allowed to enter the water without first of all having .a warm shower.. Speaking of local facilities, or rather the want of them, Mr Knapp pointedout that in former years a great number of women used the baths. Now however, there was no convenient place for theira to take their exercise. At Tahuna tlrerei were no conveniences, andi the pool in the Maitai was largely used by- the College- pupils. Even supposing, however, that large numbers wished to enjoy the pleasures of swimming, only_ a few could take advantage of them owing to the limited facilities at present provided. STARTLING FIGURES, x Some startling figures were quoted by Mr Knapp showing what a detrimental .effect the absence of baths had Upon his pupils—that- is, of course, from a swimming point of view. "For the last, two or three years, when the children were going to the baths. T was careful to take a record of pupils in the 6th standard who could, swim, and over 60 ncr cent were proficient. The other day I took a vote, and the percentage hadgone down to 18 per cent. _At thy present moment, of 250 pupils, in standards 111. to VI., only 39 can swim. I do not think you can get any stronger evidehco than this as to what the absence of baths has done." "I take it as part of the physical education of a child. It is one of the best; exercises we have. All medical authorities aro agreed on that." An important note was struck by Mr Ivnapp when he remarked "that if you keep children healthy you can get better attendances out of tlieni." It was pointed out that children could not go to Tahuna. and the bathing pool in the Maitai was not big enough. "I would not take- the risk of sending a big class to the bathing pool." said (Mr Ivnapp, "as one. lifo lost would be a terrible price to pay. Consequently the bathing classes which were formerly held before the old baths werp destroyed, have had to ho abandoned."

A MED I CAT-/" OPINION. "There is no question at all of tlio value of bathing as a factor in. the health of a community,'' said a medical man when asked his opinion. "Few exercises bring into play so many of the muscles of the" body so uniformly and without undue strain, the action on the heart and respiratory muscles being likewise beneficial. Then again, the skin is the great lieafc regulator of the body, and one of the important channels for the dissemination .of waste products. Bathing acts in two ways—by cleansing, and by stimulating. The fresh _an ft healthy glow of the skin after bathing, produced by a. good rub down with a rough towel, speaks for itself. The beneficial stimulating effect is not confined to the skin, but reacts on the >vho!e ol the circulatory system. Bathing also m many cases acts as a. tonic to tli6 nervous system, .both indirectly by improving th© general health in the directions indicated, and also to some extent as a direct tonic by reason of the stimulus of nerve terminals in the skin, have said applies more, especially t? bathing in cold water, and preferably in sea 'water. The latter, I think, is m manv ways better .than iresh. , is no doubt." concluded the doctor, "that" a freely used salt water bath keeps the health of a community at a higher level than it otherwise would be.

A CITY" COUNCILLOR'S OPINION. Cr, Sno'ugrass, who has always ' been prominent when the question lias been before the Council, made the following remarks when asked for his _ opinion "The proposed structure is a good substantial one, providing a tank 50 yards long by 50 feet wide. Nothing elaborate is proposed, so that tlio cost may be as low as possible. Ihe biu-u will lie in a horizontal line with tlio road on the old site. A good deal of consideration was given to" site, and the final decision was arrived at 011 the advice of the Harbourmaster (Captain Collins), who gave consideration to the purity of the water first, and all othei aspects as well. The amount of the proposed loan is £53200, and the rate to be leviod is Ad in the £, which more than covers interest and sinking fund; and as the charge per annum in the case of an ordinary six-roomed liouso would be Is 6d (one shilling and sixpence), little objection can be raised to the proposal 011 the score of expense. In fact, if only for the purpose of teaching the girls at tlio town schools to swim, the investment is surely a good 011 c. I would point out that tlio City Council reduced rates by 2d in the £ last March ; intends to reduce the price of < T as by fivepence per thousand feet for' lighting purposes at an early date: and is doing good, substantial work in repairs to streets, etc:., at a greater rate than any of it predecessors have ior a long; time done. As a City 'Councillor, I can assure- ratepayeis that the whole question of baths lias been gone into thoroughly,'and tlio proposal now submitted is the result of careful consideration, and it is duo to' the members of the Council that their sound judgment bo backed up by the vote oil Wednesday; otherwise thoy must reluctantly conclude that the ratepayers don't consider progress advisable in civic affairs.