TEPID BATHS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11207, 13 October 1914, Page 7

TEPID BATHS.

—: ' SWIMMING MEN INTERVIEWED. COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS. A " Star" reporter yesterday interviewed several swimming men with a view to getting their opinions on the Tepid Baths and their management. A swimmer who at ono timo made a name for liimself in distance swimming, and who ha-s comparatively recently made his homo in this city, had this to say about them.: " I am of the opinion that the Topicl Baths are not being run as they could, be. The water, for one thing, is too variable in temperature. Sometimes it is far too hot and at other times it is far too cold. _ There is too much attention paid to life-sav-ing, and the swimmers are not given proper encouragement. Concerning the question raised about swimming tuition', I think that it should be open to all. Failing this, if people are anxious to learn to swim, they can do so by joining clubs, where they can get free tuition, providing that they attend the baths at a time when swimming members are present. A gentleman who is in touch with swimmers and swimming conditions, all the way from Auckland to the Bluff, was next approached. He said: " Our sore point lu the whole matter is that consideration is not given alike to rich and poor in the matter of swimming instruction. A guinea has been quoted to m© as the custodian's charg© for teaching swimming. Now a poor schoolboy or girl cannot afford a guinea - for instruction. I would like to see a small fee fixed, the time for swimming instruction mad© definite, and the proceeds of classes handed to the Council. Tlio staff of the Tepid Baths has been increased out of all proportion to the work done in the baths, and I do? not .think that the custodian is hardly done by." Another swimmer mentioned that he had been in the baths playing waterpolo " when you could not see. a yard ahead of you for vapour," and at other times when the water was icy cokl. Mr Burgoyne, chairman of the T'epid Baths Committee, wa3 next interviewed. The questions asked him were: " Why isn't the fee fixed for swimming tuition in your bath instead of leaving the scale of charges in the hands of your custodian?" "Would it not be better to raise the salary of the custodian, and fix a small fee for tuition which would b'e handed in each case to the Council?" Mr Burgoyne replied that the matter had come before the committee before, and tho fees collected by the custodian in this way were considered to be so infinitesimal that the committee had given serious consideration to a proposal to_ raise his salary. Very few people applied for swimming tuition, most non-swimmers preferred to be taught by their swimming companions.

Another member of the committee who was approached on the subject of swimming instruction quit© agreed that a scale should be fixed by the Council, preferably with stated- hours for instruction, whether the fees went to the custodian or not. If the custodian's time was otherwise occupied by his ordinary duties, it would not bo possibh to make the teaching of swimming compulsory, but ho thought that the matter was one that .aff&cted the Council and the popularity .of the baths.