NOTICES OF BOOKS.

Evening Star, Issue 3510, 23 May 1874, Page 2

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

A Manual of Swimming. By Charles Steedman. Keith and Wilkie, Dunedin. The author of this treatise must be known to almost every Victorian. For years he was lessee of the railway baths at Sandridge, was champion swimmer of that Colony, and has often had his name brought under public notice as the rescuer of many persons from drowning. Books on swimming aro so plentiful that it would be difficult to understand how any fresh author can find anything new to communicate. Mr Steadman is not able to da so, but he brings to bear on his subject the knowledge and mastery of it possessed bv a thoroughly experienced swimmer. bfe is eminently practical, and his work is not without literary merit. We quote him on the duty of learning to swim, and on the law not rewarding rescuers, he being in a position to speak feelingly: on ,the injustice of the latter:— The Society of Arts has passed over in silence the claims of those men who have introduced an improved, systematic, and expeditious method of teaching to swim. In fact, it has unwittingly conferred honors on those who have taught men rather to be dependent, and has left unrewarded those who have striven to make men fearless and confident in their, own resources. Is it not amazing—is it not almost past belief—that an art so conducive to health, so valuable in itself, so easy to learn, so impossible to forget, should be, as it is, so almost utterly neglected ? Surely to learn swimming is a duty which each one owes to himself—which each one owes to all. Life insurance companies might with perfect justice to themselves, and with the greatest benefit to society, issue policies at a slightly reduced premium to those who could swim. Might not a law be enacted compelling all persons saved from drowning, who were unable to swim, to pay a tithe or some other fixed known proportion of their property to their rescuers ? Such a law would be similar in nature to that of salvage. On the subject of flotsam and jetsam, ligan, and derelict- the law is ample and explicit enough ; but, with regard to the rescuing of persons from drowning (save from a vessel in distress), it is silent. If a purse oontaining money, say, should accidentally be dropped into the water, the person recovering it is legally entitled to a certain portion of it for his trouble. But should the money be in the pocket of a man who is in imminent danger of drowning, the one who risks his own existence to save both_ life and property is legally entitled to nothing. This is an anomaly that certainly should be speedily remedied.

A Freehold Villa for Nothing. By J, Marvel. Reith and Wilkie, Dunedin. In this little pamphlet, which demonstrates the usefulness of building societies, the writer shows how, with the assistance of such a society, he became his own landlord without capital. In the second part a London architect of considerable scientific attainments and lengthened experience in his profession, gives some practical hints oh building, which are brief, simple, and stripped as clear as possible of professional technicalities. If any person reading this little work is net immediately possessed with a desire to become a member of a building company or to take shares in the new local Land, Building, and Investment Society, wp shall be mistaken.