SWIMMING AFFAIRS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 296, 15 December 1936, Page 5

SWIMMING AFFAIRS

HUNTERVILLE CLUB NEW BATHS OPENED SATURDAY’S FUNCTION (Special Reporter. Attended by a large number of Hunterville and district residents, as well as by a number of visiting swimmers and officials from Wanganui, the opening of the swimming bath at Hunterville on Saturday was marked by similar enthusiasm to that shown throughout the long period required to bring the scheme to fruition. The weather was fine though at one stage it became overcast and rain threatened, but eventually bright sunshine prevailed. Guests at the opening ceremony included the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, M.P. for Oroua, Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P. ■ for Wanganui, and Mr. P. L. Dickson, I president of the Wanganui Swimming Centre. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Mr. Ormond Wilson, M.P. for Rangitikei, Mr. A. Way, Marton, and Messrs. H. Hawke and L. Smith, of Wanganui. Welcoming the visitors and local swimmers, Mr. R. A. Gordon, chairman of the Hunterville Swimming Baths Committee, said that he was

particularly pleased to see such a large and representative attendance because the swimming bath as completed had resulted from two and ahalf years’ untiring work on the part of the smalt committee responsible. On behalf of kis committee he desired to thank all those donors who had made it possible to hand over the baths to the people of Hunterville free of debt. Sums ranging from £5OO down to the nimble shilling had built up the large sum of £1241 Is, the total amount of donations, including frequently even the children’s pence, so keen was the interest displayed. Now that the baths and the necessary buildings had been completed, said Mr. Gordon, it was up to the children to make full use of the facilities provided for swimming. He trusted that all would enjoy swimming and that they would exercise care so that lhe record of last season, when swimming activities were carried out with an entire absence of accident of any kind, would be maintained in the future. To the various committees who had rendered yeoman service and to the residents of the district, concluded Mr. Gordon, Hunterville owed a debt of gratitude which could be repaid only by a keen interest in the welfare of the baths. Mr. R. M. S. Jones, secretary of the Hunterville Swimming Baths Committee, gave a brief resume of the history of the baths committee, which had been set up as a result of a meeting held on July 9, 1934. Many meetings of the committee and sub-commit-tees had been held in the intervening period, he said, but throughout the two and a-half years intervening their chairman had never spared his energies in endeavouring to reach his goal. This had entailed the collection of over £1240 in sums large and small. It had also entailed the expenditure of money on a large scale, as for instance, he quoted, the following items: Cost of swimming bath, inclusive of excavation and fittings, £468 8s lOd; cost of laying on water £392 18s; building £153 4s; fence £6O 10s sd; freight and cartage £5O 7s 3d; sewer--age £3B 6s 6d; seats £43 ss; printing, advertising, insurance, stationery and postages, £l5 15s Id; extra concrete work £7s 10d. This showed, said Mr. Jones, the committee’s task had been no sinecure. However, it had been a pleasure to have to deal with such a happy band of workers. In particular, he said, he would like to mention Mr. T. A. Duncan, whose generous gift had been the main factor in enabling the committee to carry out its task; Mr. Gordon, whose zeal and enthusiasm as chairman had been an inspiration to them all; Mr. James Bull, to whom had fallen the task of organising the collection of funds from the country residents; and the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, through whose representations the committee had been enabled to secure a generous State subsidy on the labour involved. Mr. James Bull modestly declined to accept any of the kudos attaching to the raising of money and the work of the committee. “No matter how energetic the committee,” he said,

“you must have a leader, and in Mr. Gordon th : s committee has had the ideal chairman. It. was by Mr. Gordon that the idea of the baths was conceived, and it was owing to his never-failing energy that the scheme has been carried to success. He was always an optimist, be the times ever so bad and the outlook ever so dull, and it is only fitting that he should be asked to accept a small token ol appreciation from his fellow-members of the committee.” Mr. Bull then handed Mr. Gordon a neat case containing the committee’s gift, the recipient being loudly cheered.

Stating that it gave him great pleasure to be present at such a gathing, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe referred in terms of hgh appreciation to the work done by the people of Hunterville in providing for themselves and their children one of the finest assets a township could possess and one of the most useful adjuncts to community life. It was, he said, a mark ol a progressive community that the residents therein were self-reliant. The sturdy independence of the pioneers of the district was marked by the enthus asm with which they had attacked a task, which would have daunted many a larger centre. Hunterville could well be proud of the swimming baths. He hoped that all, adults and children alike, would spend many a happy day in adding to their knowledge of swimming and incidentally improving their physical wellbeing with a clean, healthy exerc’se which was of so much value in the saving of life when in danger of drowning.

Mr. Cobbe asked Mr. J. H. T. Duncan, on behalf of his father, Mr. T. A. Duncan, to accept a gold key with which to unlock the door of the baths.

Expressing appreciation of the honour the committee was conferring on the family, Mr. Duncan said that it had been a pleasure to be associated with the provision of the swimming baths for Hunterville. They would be open for the use of Hunterville residents for all time, free of cost and free of charge, and he trusted that all who used them would get as much pleasure out of their swimming as had his father and the family in furnishing a small measure of assistance. Following the opening ceremony a carnival programme of swimming events was watched by the large crowd of spectators with keen enjoyment. The officials were provided by the Hunterville Club and the Wan-

ganui Swimming Centre, a feature being the excellent work of the handicapper, Mr. C. Thrush, who also handled the megaphone as announcer in approved style. During the afternoon a much appreciated exhibition of the strokes used in the evolution of swimming was given by Mr. V. B. Haworth, of Wanganui, who was heartily applauded. Results of the events decided were as follows: Boys’ Race Across Baths.—B. Hurley 1, R. Wright 2, W. Frampton 3. Junior Boys under 14.—Bryson 1, Klue 2, Hallam 3. Junior Girls under 14.—M. Little 1, J. Nicholson 2. Open Dive.—Jameson (Hunterville) 1, Burt (Gonville) 2. Jameson won after a tie necessitating a dive-off. Girls’ 25 Yards.—M. LRtle 1, j. N.cholson 2. Men’s 25 Yards.—E. Duncan 1, J. Corps 2, E. O'Brien 3. Men’s 50 Yards --First Heat: D. Gowan 1, C. Gurr 2, R. Corps 3. Second heat: A. Gowan 1, E. Duncan 2, W. Campbell 3. Final: W Campbell 1, D. Gowan 2, R. Gurr 3. Women’s Dive.—C. Howe 1, H. McLachlan 2. Men’s 100 Yards.—Jameson (Hunterville) 1, Haworth (Wanganui Central) 2, Gurr (Aramoho) 3. Relay Race (teams of four, 25yds e^ch).—Wanganui defeated Hunternarrowly after a great tussle. Women’s 50 Yards.—Miss H. McLachlan 1, Miss C. Howe 2, Miss J. Nicholson 3.