MR HENRY'S VISIT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14997, 22 November 1910, Page 3

MR HENRY'S VISIT.

THE PUBLIC, BATHS LOAN,

A DISSENTIENT VOICE.

A combined meeting of the Otago Centre of tho Now Zealand Amateur- Sivimmino' Ass-jciatioii and the 'Public, Baths Comniitee was held at Mr E. S. Wilson's' office yesterday, for t-he purpose of considering cirangements in connection with Mr W. Henry's visit-to Dunedin:

Mr J. 'A, Park (chnirman of the centre) presided. He said that they had been liirlitin# for a quarter of a century-/or tho pjron otion of life-Kivinff, They had now pot t-hc lensth of having decided on, and n. proposal for a loan would, come before the nublic next nionth. The swimminff, contre existed, principally fit the purposp; of' promotin,; iife-savi'ng.Thfiy now h.id Mr Henry,' who was the founder, secretary, and lecturer'of the Royal Lifesavinpr Society, coming down to spn them,' and lie thought it was a Rroat' honour. He would arrive at- 4 o'clook next Wednesday, and they wanted to arrange a programme for him: and show , him some attention. . . Mr J. C. K. Sibba-ld outlined in detail ,tlie very, full programme whicH was prolX)sed for Mr Henry durintr his Brief visit to Uuned'.n It had benn imped to accord Mm if civic reception, but, unfortunately the Mayor would not be able to be present. They wanted him to inspect the Pima of the baths and tho,site chosen for them, as he wont up to the High School, whore he would conduct examinations in life-saving. In tho evening lie would -lecture in the Victoria ; Hall on tho objects of the society ho reresented and oil lifesaving generally. ~Mr Honry was not at all interested in swimming as a sport,/or a pastime, but woriwd to encourage It siinply as a means of life-saving. .'For this object tho cent.ro felt tbat tile Public Baths' Committee.would.bp one' with it,' and help' it .all it could. Mr .Henry "had several other engagements after the. public meeting, <ind before he returned to Christchurch the next morning it was hoped that he would leotuh: at ( the Cavcrsham School and at the Boys' H\?h School. A second object of Mr Henry's visit to the Dominion was in connection with the forthcoming* Festival of Empire at Home. He was anxious that New Zealand- should send a. team ..of life-savers Home to compote' against all-comors, but that was being arranged- at Wellington. Until Mr Walker's time Mr Park had been'tho only Mayor who had been a bis to help thorn towards getting baths. Mr Park had got the' section for them, mid Mr Walker lu'.tl sueteeded in getting the revenue from reserves plaoed to the baths account. The Chairman ' suggested that a. Pro-grn-miiio Committee be' set up* to curry out the suggestions made by Mr Sibbald.' Dr Colqulioun asked if the association was wedded to any particular pians for the public baths. ■ ' Tho Chairimin stated iliat that as all settled. The' site had cost £2500. The estimated cost of the baths was £3000, but it was intended to ask for a loan of £10.000. because Turkish., baths and other attractions had been added.. 'It was only.right to recognise Mr Henry's visit'in a very special way, and lie had no doubt the' Mayor would appoint a_ deputy-Mayor for . the occasion to give him a civic welcome.

The meeting formally approved of the proposal to hold a public meeting on Wednesday eveniup, and tlis chairman then received names for the Programme Comnuttco. - . ,■

Dr Colqulioun's name was mentioned, but he declined to act, savins h« was not at all in sympathy with the proposal to spend £15,000 in baths for that situation. Voic«: £10.000 :

, Dr Colqulioun said that, apart from that, he thought it was a gre.it -mistakj to nslc Jlr llcnry to mix himself' tip m local IK'litics because he I new thero was a very strong feeling against this proposal to spend mcney. It was a groat pit-y that the .committee should try-.to make election oorin" capital out ot Ihe visit. ■ "

riu- Chairman slid was very much astonished -at Ur Colquhoun's remarks. \\:'ie not so mean as to teko' advantase of the position as Dr Colqulioun ,!!, ellncr wcre the l' « oil >e to spend tIo.OOO. J.lieto lemarks were chilling, because they were not true statements?' and wo,ild give a wrong impression. They were going to : spend £8000 on. the building and on-lh-j site, which they had already got. llie plans had been approved by niehiUe.s, .»n<l by two or three jiiet as sensible as any in that room. He leg-.-clted th;it cold witor had been thrown at this meeting. Mr Chamberlain: You can't havo baths without ■••old 'water. •

, Tho Chairman: No. but wo want-the batlis lirst, and tlien the cold .water, bvoryone. ho said, was entitled to his opinion, but to express it at that juncture was I: ndlv fair. -

Dr Co'nuhoun siirl he would certainly voto against the loan proposal, as lie ••thought more desirable things could he d(.ne with H<.o -Money. He: did not think Mr Henry should be brought into a matter that was m dispute. In reply to Mr G. L. De'nniston Mr Park stated .that' t'tfy wero 1 jroiri* on .with these plans in any case, hut that, of course, n.ny suggestion from such an authority as. Mr Honrv would carry great. wisfht with it. J noy were coin? lo chow iiim tlio plans tn indicate what the people of Dutiedm were doing in tiie matter, but ho would not ba ; asked to express any opiuign »s Wtween. rival " suggestions. 1 •Bu'fcari no "tubt. that the great majority of the citi-

zttns, young and old, wore |!olhb to voto for the loim.. .. '

A littlo- later Dr Coiquliotin ivas heard to remark to the chairman, "'You suggested that I, was not speaking the truth." Mr Park explained that what lie nad said was that the doctor's statements were- incorrect "I must apologise," ho'."aid,..'*it you took me up ro say. that you were not speaking llio truth. That is the last thing I would wish, to say."

•necling prooeedsd to tlw business of e!«ctiulj a committee.' ' The- committee to armnpro. details- in connection 'with Mr Henry's visit consists of Messrs Donniston, Walker, Bedford, Davidson,Turner, Burton, Nortljcy, and Statham-,. with power to add to their immlv.-r. It was arranged that Mr Walker should act as chairman of the public meet-in#.

PEARS' ANNUAL, 1910. A Christmas with PEARS'-- ANNUAL', is' a Christmas well spent;" Dolig-htful • reading;,'- lovely pictures, and attractive music are provided in its pages. ■ ■

— The quantity" of water! used last year for washing streets ami.coin-is in the Citv of London was 77,424,000 gallons. Moro Planet, 1 Jr., agricultural and garden implements are in use in the world'than any other three makes put toeetlipr.—Niimno nnd Wnir. •