PROPOSED SWIMMING BATH

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1933, Page 6

PROPOSED SWIMMING BATH

HIGH SCHOOL SCHEME OPPOSED. CO-OPERATION SUGGESTED. Opposition to the proposal to make a swimming bath at the Stratford Technical High School was voiced at the meeting of the board last night by Mr. E. S. Rutherfurd, who envisaged the time when Stratford would have three swimming baths —a number that he considered excessive for the size of the town. The chairman (Mr. H. Trimble) opened the matter when he moved that the work be gone on with when relief labour became available for the excavation work.

In reply to Mr. Rutherfurd the chairman said the work would cost about £450 but that amount would not include the erection of a fence or dressing sheds. Mr. Rutherfurd pointed out that some dressing accommodation would be necessary, and the chairman replied that sufficient for the purpose could be provided for a comparatively small additional outlay. “It is a pity for us to go on with this unless we make a proper job of it,” Mr. Rutherfurd said. /“I can forsee the time,”- he added, “when there will be need of town baths at Stratford, and if we make a bath now the town will eventually have three baths. There is too much of that sort of thing already, and consequently everything in Taranaki is second rate. This place is only a village after all, and if we have three baths a lack,of co-operation will be shown.”

The chairman: There are three at New Plymouth. Mr. Rutherfurd: Yes, on a population of 16,000. Is the bath to be open to the public during the school holidays? “That is not intended,” the chairman said.

“Well it should be,” Mr. Rutherfurd retorted. “We propose to spend anything up to £7OO so the pupils can get a wash that they can get in the primary school baths. It seems a strange policy in these times.” The idea of the bath was to provide swimming, not washing facilities, the chairman remarked. Mr. Rutherfurd said it would be better to co-operate with the borough council and build a bath, complete with all necessary adjuncts, that would meet the needs of the school and the public too. Mr. A. Fergusson agreed that it would be better if the council could be persuaded to assist in building one good bath and dressing sheds to seyye the town and the school. Mr. Rutherfurd: You cannot even keep clean while you are changing in those little fowl-houses of dressing sheds at the present baths. The principal (Mr. A. H. R. Amess) told Mr. Ferguson that it was intended to pump water for the baths from the Patea River. “What will be the cost of caretaking, emptying and filling of the baths, cleaning, etc.?” Mr. Ferguson asked. Mr. Amess: They will not cost anything. An electric pump will fill the baths overnight, Mr. Ferguson moved an amendment, which was carried, that the chairman, the principal and Mr. Rutherfurd wait on the borough council to see if it would be prepared to assist on the lines outlined by Mr. Rutherfurd. ELTHAM ODDFELLOWS. JUDGING OF RITUAL. At the fortnightly meeting of the Eltham Manchester Unity Oddfellows’ Lodge on Wednesday the local officers were judged in connection with the lodge ritual competition. The judges for the southern district were P.P.G.M.’s Bros. J. Bates and W. Marr. There was a good attendance of visitors from neighbouring lodges. Two remits were forwarded for the provincial conference which is to be held at Inglewood on March 30. Bros. Martin, Taylor and Bates were appointed delegates to the conference. After formal business supper was served and community singing concluded the evening. ELTHAM TALKIES. “THE DOOMED BATTALION.” For thrills and feats calculated to strain the nerves to the utmost limit, there are few stories that can approach “The Doomed Battalion,” to show to-night at the Eltham Theatre. It is one of the most spectacular film dramas of battles in the cloud-draped pinnacles of the Tyrolean Alps and the most heart-grip-ping story of sacrifice to duty. It is a story of battles above the clouds, many of them at night and in the smoke of gunpowder and bursting explosives, and of a heroic company that was undermined and of an embattled fortress blown to kingdom come. Much of the Universal film was taken on historic ground, the place where the Italians and Austrians fought each other to a standstill for two years, and every effort was made to record conditions as they really existed in war time. “The Doomed Battalion” was an organisation of picked mountain men, climbers, sportsmen, guides, who not only could scale the icy precipices of the No-man’s land, but could drop from its heights to the valleys below with incredible speed on skiis. The principals are an Austrian mountain soldier, and an Italian officer. There is a wife at home suffering all the suspense of waiting and wondering if her man will return to the infant he has never seen. The Austrians hold a hill fortification that blocks the progress of the Italian forces, and a marvellous piece of tunnelling is done to clear away the obstacle. The two one-time friends are in opposite camps, and the mountaineer’s wife finds herself in the position of having to billet the enemy, her husband’s friend among them. Faith, courage, devotion, and loyalty prevail on both sides, and toward the close there are touching scenes. The stars are Victor Varconi, Luis Trenker and Tala Birell, the lastmentioned, as the soldier's wife, giving a brilliant performance. The scenes in the Austrian Alps are of wonderful | beauty. The feature is something new I to Eltham audiences.