OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 May 1944, Page 3

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

WHATMAN SCHOOL BATHS (To the Editor.) Sir, —Although-, it is not our habit or desire to enter into newspaper controversies, yet I feel that with your kind permission I must publicly reply co statements made by Mr A. Owen Jones as reported in your paper in connection with the deputation to the Trust Lands Trust regarding swimming baths for the Whatman School. I do not know Mr. Jones and am certain he has not availed himself of the right information from the right source, otherwise he would never have made such an unwise and sweeping statement, which unfortunately is capable of misleading the public, and I now put before you the facts as I know them, in the hope that any false idea of the position may be corrected. (1) From the commencement, the Salvation Army Home under my managership was prepared to put as much or more effort into the raising of money as the 30 per cent, attending the school that were not residents of the Home. Plans were discussed with the committee with this in view.

(2) Two schemes of some magnitude were discussed, which, with effort, would be highly productive. The committee thanked me personally for such tangible suggestions and offers to help and I have been waiting and asking for the committee to- meet and set these schemes in motion, but so far little 01 no action has been taken. (3) The home has not asked for the baths, having a bathing pool of its own which with very little expense would meet all our needs. (4) The school enjoys the privilege of using a splendid building at a cost of one shilling per year. (5) The school enjoys the privilege of using the playgrounds with all the latest appliances. (6) I personally offered through Mr. Johnstone that we would billet most of the travelling party in one of the schemes under section 2; also organise the venture in other towns and, providing the children of parents who attend the school would do the same, we would canvass the whole town inji special organised effort selling tickets and advertising the splendid combina-. tion of artists we propose to bring here. (7) In the second venture, I proposed also to put the whole weight of the home behind it. This was to be a laige scale gymkhana. I made certain proposals and these were enthusiastically received and it was the opinion of all that a large sum could be secured in this way. , , . (8) After all, the baths are not being built on our property nor are they specifically for the home. Yet we have offered all the physical and moral support possible within the limits of the programme of the home and our own principles. Now. Sir, I hope I may have succeded in disillusioning any minds that may have been inoculated with the statements made concerning the Salvation Army. Seeing that the school and grounds cost the board practically nothing, it would be a gesture on their part if they met two-thirds of the cost of the baths. In addition to what Commissioner Evan Smith, has said concerning the heavy cost of repairing earthquake damage, we are having very great difficulty in meeting our commitments at the home and the Commissioner has had to make additional grants to see us through. I feel that this community should understand the great asset this home is and the fact that many of the children are kept in everything absolutely free, and every child is well looked after and supplied with clothing, school requisites, doctor and medicine, etc., etc. Can Mr. Owen Jones still say we are niggardly and unsympathetic with the baths project? If we are careful that is a necessity. If we are limited in our financial resources, that is not our fault, and we are doing our best with what we have. Thanking you for receiving this long epistle, —I am, etc., EDWIN THORNE, Manager Whatman Home. Masterton, May 10. MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS (To the Editor.) Sir —I am afraid your correspondent, Sarah Tankersley, read into my previous letter words that did not appear. She seems to be of the opinion that I had not a good word for Maston. Nothing of the sort; I think Masterton a good town going backward for the want of more progressive ideas from our local government authorities. Miss Tankersley states that “the town docs not go on by leaps and bounds 'but is going steadily on.” I would like to say that to make haste slowly was all right in 1900, but we are now living in 1944, a much faster age. To illustrate further what I mean, I will say that at present our town is badly in need of hall accommodation. It is almost two years since the earthquake and I understand our Engineer is still looking for cracks in our damaged Town Hall. Well, I have heard that it will take £17,000 to repair If this is correct, I should wait no longer, pull the building down and start again. One repaired white elephant (the

Opera House) in the town at once is enough. I cannot understand why the Council let the opportunity slip of securing the building recently occupied by the American Club for a temporary hall for the town. This building must have cost lease-lend a fair sum to put in shape for dancing, etc., and after a few months the floor is pulled up and shipped somewhere else. Surely some representation could have been made to secure this building. The town could do with decent swimming baths and other things too numerous to mention in this letter. I should also say that our overhead expense in the borough is due for drastic overhaul. lam sure that saving could be effected in this item big enough to pay the interest on a loan for a swimming bath.— l am, etc.,

“NAUTICUS.”