MARTON SWIMMING BATHS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 279, 28 November 1935, Page 6

MARTON SWIMMING BATHS

Sir,-—1 have been waiting for some abler pen than mine to take up “Breast-stroke’s” letter in your issue of Saturday last. Ye Gods and little fishes, what next? Wo ownes the baths anyway? (Do the swimmers in Marton realise how lucky they are to have baths in Marton at all. It would be very interesting indeed to know in how many years or in how few the swimmers have appreciated the baths sufficiently to patronise them enough to cover the year's outgoings. Who has had to pay*the loss which has mounted year after year? W'hy the rate-payers. And who are the council but the ratepayers’ representatives. They arc to be commended for not wasting more money on a white elephant. First the water looks dirty, then the sheds are not big enough. What is the world coming to? Next they will want tiled floors, hot showers and upholstered seats. In days gone by who heard the kids on the river bank complaining? Any old pool did and any bush was a dressing shed. Did they worry about the colour of the water? To-day it is, do this for us, do that. As I say they are lucky to have bathe at all. There is no satisfying some ■ people.—l am, etc., “OLD TIMER.” Sir,—While 1 sympathise with the aims and aspirations of the Swimming Club I feel that the letter under the name of “Breaststroke” is altogether too sweeping. Surely the council is a position to judge what is best. One can be sure that they have used every means within their power to make the baths a paying proposition. They have managed the baths for years and have fuller information than the swimming club. From your correspondent's letter one would gather that the council has done nothing for swimming. I have made enquiries and find that during the last season the council granted free use of the baths to the swimming club on two nights a week. Besides this the Rovers and the schools had. free access to the baths at certain periods.—l am, etc., “FAIR. PLAY.” i