PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING GISBORNE, MARCH 18, 1903. ...THE ART OF SWIMMING.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 843, 18 March 1903, Page 2

PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING GISBORNE, MARCH 18, 1903. ...THE ART OF SWIMMING.

...While agreeing with the remarks made by the Acting-Coroner at the enquiry 011 Monday, we hope that they will not have the effect of lessening the desire of the small boy to acquire skill as a swimmer. Captain Chrisp rightly pointed out that boys should not lie allowed to bathe indiscriminately on the beach. Good as the advice is, we fear it will not be taken by the average small boy, and yve should be sorry if such advice should 'in any way check the desire of boys to bathe. There would be very few cases of drowning if all boys could swim uu well as little Menzies, and though his impetuosity led him into danger and caused the death of the brave lloitiy, it must be borne in mind that .the little fellow’s ability to swim was mainly Instrumental in saving bis rife as bis fearlessness was of endangering it. Had lie not been a good swimmer, neither Mr Hansen nor the late Mr lloi by could have done much towards rescue, as lie would assuredly have been drown- ~ ed before uie rescuers could have reached him. As it was, he .knew sufficient to turn and boat on his back, and thus when one man had been completely exhausted and another drowned, a third (Mr Richards) was able to get hold of the boy. Mr lioiby certainly was not drowned through exhaustion in the water. He was known to be a splendid swimmer and there is no doubt I bat the chill, when he was so warm in entering the water,, had .more to do with his death than ordinary exhaustion. Our inference from the sad affair is rather that increased encouragement should lie given to the schoolboys to excel in the art of swimming. A few weeks ago, there was a sad case of a boy being drowned in a small water hole, because, being unable to swim, he had got out of his depth. In that case, a still younger hoy risked his life in a futile attempt to save his brother. Had those lads been able 1.0 swim, that bright young life would I not have been lost. With ordinary care there is no better place than the beach for swimming ; it is safer than the rivers for the reason tfiat there ; is not the same risk of getting into a dec]) hole and one needs to go a distance out before encountering the 1 danger of under-currents. The Go- i vernment have sought to do a little i in the way of encouraging schoolboys ( to learn to swim, but that little is not of much use unless backed up by the sympathy and support of parents and friends. Very few cases can be brought to mind of deaths from drowning while children or adults have been bathing on the Waikanac beach, and the pity is that this splendid resort is not more largely availed of. In Auckland last week, the support given by tjie Government to the encouragement of' swimming among State schoolchildren led to am exceptionally good carnival being held for schoolboys, and last Monday night t.herw was a similar carnival ;for girls. The Auckland Herald considered the subject worthy of a leading article, in the course of which it stated “ Expert and powerful swimmers will be able to sympathise mosst heartily of any with the forethoughts which trains in this e'ssen- *■ "hiidrea of 'tender age and ... -—nccest to perseyere lial art, their spurs even the you-., by arranging races suileu .. powers and giving prizes suited to 1 their desires. To see children under line racing for eighteen yards may.

easily appear an insignificant thing to those who do not appreciate the life- i saving influence of it. Yet this most junior of the programme items is 1 alone worth the Government subsidy if it annually draws more and more competitors and thereby inspires every little lad and lass to emulation • For the average child can no more be < kept away from the water than the average adult can be prevented from , venturing to sea. Of this we have , summer after summer, most grevious proof. The remedy is, of course, to make bathing and boating as safe as ordinary walking by making universal the art of swimming, an art infinitely more easily acquired than the art of walking if reasonable opportunity and some reasonable instruction are provided. The city schools are going the right way to work to sate life from drowning and in doing so to popularise a sport whicli is one of the healthiest ami most invigorating of all sports.” Of course in writing in this strain we do not misunderstand Gapt Chrisp for we know that no one would more heartily support, such a movement but we do take issue with him from the fear that some parents and guardians may altogether misunderstand his remarks, and in consequence be induced to cheek rather than encourage the hoys and girls in learning to swim. In this district we have rivers and creeks all around, and the parent who can keep his lads from taking a “ dip ” does not exist. As the Auckland journal points out the only precaution is to teach them to help themselves in case of difficulty. While on this subject we might refer to the letter which appeared in yesterday’s Times. The. writer no doubt misjudged the jury in thinking they were unwilling to give full honor to the brave fellows who risked their lives on .Sunday. It would certainly have been better lor the jury to have recorded their opinion with the verdict, hut that opinion was so well expressed by the Acting-Coroner that tiie jury no doubt considered the commendation was better voiced than it would have been in any short rider to the verdict. Bui what we wish mainly to comment on is the reminder that many brave acts have been performed in this district without acknowledgment from the Society which annually publishes a list of honors. There are a number of people resident in this district who have deeds of heroism to their credit, hut possibly through their own modesty have had. no record in the reports of the Humane Society.

. IS IT A JOKE 7 There is ground for, a slight suspicion that the Government is having a quiet little .joke at the expense of this district., A short time ago Mr Carroll promised that the district would have a visit from the Inspector of Roads, who would report concerning our requirements, and whose report would have the favoraole attention of the Government* .This promise, we are sure, was' made in good faith by; Mr Cgrroll. But it has not worked out as anticipated. Indeed, Mr Hursthouse’s mission rather seems to have been for the purpose of staving us off than to have the needs of this district fairly attended to, In the first place he made a flying visit by way of Motu, and thereupon gave his opinion in effect that the belief as to valuable timber in the IVlotu was a popular delusion—this in spite of all the reports of experts who have taken the trouble to closely examine the timber. Then, apparently knowing, little about the possible railway routes to the Motu, he expresses an opinion as to engineering difficulties that is quite at variance with the expert opinion of such capable engineers as Mr Stewart, a man who practically worked himself to death in the public service. And then, when he does come more to matters concerning his own department, his chief aim appears to have been first to make people believe that they do not want good roads, a iid, secondly, to give them to understand that if they do really want good roads they will not get them, there being no money available. He comes to us after a long, dry summer, and complains that he cannot find mud ! He cites for our benefit the cases of some unfortunate Taranaki people, whose beasts of burden still wallow in the mud, for the reason that owners have been as people crying in the wilderness, and such extravagances as the projected Tutanekai picnic have been going on while they have been left floundering in the mud. Mr I-lurst-house makes no mention of the favored districts, where roads, railways and other facilities can he obtained even without asking. We do not want to do the Inspector of Roads an injustice, hut cannot help saying that his attitude to the people here has rather been that of rejector of roads, and rightly or wrongly an impression has gained ground that his visit is really to try and convince people that (hey are already doing very well. Those who have to try and use .the roads in the winter time are not likely to regard their difficulties in the airy style that Mr Hursthouse does, judging from statements he is credited with having made.