HIGH PRAISE FOR BATHS

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1934, Page 9

HIGH PRAISE FOR BATHS

MR. C, BRYANT’S OPINION. HOPES FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. Well known in the swimming world as deputy-president of the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, Mr. Charles Bryant was a visitor to New Plymouth yesterday. In company with Mr. F. J. Eggleton, chairman, and Mr. J. F. Devine, secretary of the Taranaki Swimming Centre, he visited the New Plymouth municipal baths last evening and was pleased with what he saw. “Although I am only on a business visit to New Plymouth and am not on any official visit from the New Zealand Council,” Mr. Bryant told a News reporter last night, “the opportunity to see your baths was too good to be missed. I would class them as equal to, if not better than, any baths in JTew Zealand. The seating accommodation and the facilities are good, while the fact that there is 13 feet of water in the baths makes it the deepest still-water bath in New Zealand—a very desirable feature in championship swimming.” Mr. Bryant’s opinions on the baths are interesting, for he is the oldest consecutive sitting member on the New Zealand Council. For 21 years he has been a member of the council, and during that time he has garnered a mass of information on every point of swimming. For the last ten years he has “held the gun” as starter at New Zealand championship gatherings, and he is looked on as easily the best man in the country at the position. Although no championship swimmer himself, he was a competitive swimmer for some years. Two of his daughters are carrying on the good work by making names, at a yet early age, in swimming at Christchurch,

Mr. Bryant’s visit may have repercussions in the swimming world, for Taranaki’s water-men have hopes of holding the championships at New Plymouth next year. Mr. Bryant’s testimony as to the suitability of the baths for a championship gathering may mean a good deal when the question comes before the council. Mr. Bryant, who is accompanied by his wife, will leave New Plymouth for Wellington this morning.