TEACHING OF SWIMMING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18439, 24 March 1922, Page 9

TEACHING OF SWIMMING

NO MOKE STALE AID. EDUCATION BOARD INDIGNANT. Indignation was expressed at a meeting of the Wanganui Education Board on Wednesday evening in consequence of notification from the Minister of Education that capitation for school swimming classes had been abolished. Mr Bruce instanced the case of Queen's Park School in Wanganui, and said that it was by the capitation lees that they were able to pay the Borough Council lor the use of the municipal bath. He could not understand a Minister or a department bringing forward such a proposal. Figures taken out some years ago in New Zealand showed that an average of live children a week lost their lives through being unable to swim. The teaching of swimming and life saving was a direct gain to the State. Mr Bruce moved: “That this Board strongly protests against the abolition of capitation for school swimming classes, on the ground that such economy is a short-sighted and retrograde step.” The chairman (Mr Collins) said that he felt very strongly over the matter, and it was necessary that something should be done.

Mr Mclntyre said that the Government had done the right thing on the present occasion. Everybody had to recognise the serious iinancitil position. The Government could not give subsidies as before during the financial stress. As a body of business men they should recognise that the Government had to economise. When the position improved no doubt the subsidies would be restored. The chairman: That is a question. Mr Mclntyre: "We should not make the Government’s position any harder. Only the Prime Minister knows the hard row to hoe. Mr Laws sard that he had every sympathy with the Prime Minister, but the various school committees had installed baths at their own expense and those baths had to be kept up. It was the most cheese-paring thing that had ever been done by a department. Originally they used to give £ for £ subsidy to encourage the committees to’ build baths. Then it was reduced to 10/ in the £l, and finally to £l5O irrespective of the amount raised. Swimming was one of the most important things in the curriculum. People in Wanganui had subscribed liberally for school baths. There were other things that could be curtailed first. Mr Hemingway said that the Minister did not seem to realise the importance of the work. There were other items on the estimates that could have been curtailed. It was disgusting to hear of such economy preached by a Minister of the Crown when lives were at stake. It showed that he did not know his job. Mr Mclntyre: ;In the old days in Wanganui there were no baths and the children learned to swim in the river. •• The motion was carried, Mr Mclntyre voting against it.