The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY JULY 10, 1889. THE DOMAIN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2169, 10 July 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY JULY 10, 1889. THE DOMAIN.

We are pleased to note that the Borough Council takes a broad view of its duty to the community, and is taking action m a direction which mast meet the approval of the burgesses, namely the utilization of the resources ready at hand m the beautiful Ashburton Domain as a means of promoting the health and pleasure of young and old. The formation of a swimming bath should be one of the first duties of every Borough Council and Town Board— even on hygienic grounds alone, though swimming is the most necessary of all athletic attainments. Every child should be taught to swim as part of its education, and as our river does not afford suitable water and the sea-beach, even were it easily accessible, is seldom safe for any swimmer to trust himself m, the necessity for an artificial bathing-place is obvious . We trust that the preparations will he complete before the summer comes, as nothing is more refreshing and benefioial after a day's baking and powdering by a nor'-wester than a plunge into a copious pool of dear running water. Another part of the same policy of the Council is their resolve to put the sports ground m the Domain into such order that it can be used without danger and with pleasure by our athletes. Cricket and football have dragged along here m a very intermittent way, for which the indifferent state of the grounds, necassitating a good deal of expenditure, is to a great degree responsible. The clubs would take pride m keeping a wellformed ground m order, and besides tbe benefit derived by the players, the townsfolk would have the pleasure of seeing matches probably twice a week, where perhaps half a dozen m a season is now the utmost that can be managed Bicyclists are now a numerous body amongst us, and are entitled to consideration, and the request that a proper track should be formed for them and pedestrians is only reasonable. We trust, however, that some other material than cinders will be used m its construction. There !« seldom a day without more or less wind, and the cnj«ymeQ^ of atbleteß and onlookers alike can scarcely be more effectually destroyed than by blinding [showers of ashes being blown over them. The surroundings of Ashburton are not, it must be admitted, strikingly picturesque, and the lomain supplies the one scene to which the residents turn for a glimpse of sylvan beauty. The Borough Council therefore should be supported m anything that; can be done to make the Domain more i attractive and useful for the community. The cost will soon be repaid by the benefits, physical and mental, which visitors to the Domain will derive.