PROPOSED SWIMMING BATHS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1800, 12 March 1918, Page 3

PROPOSED SWIMMING BATHS.

: ESTIMATED COST £750. At last night’s Council meeting the plans and specifications for the proposed swimming baths were received from Mr 1C Edwards, civil engineer, of Palmerston North. The estimated cost of construction is £750. The Mayor said that as a municipal body they should discharge their duties faithfully, viz., to provide facilities for the happiness and physical wellbeing of the citizens. A public swimming bath is urgently necessary to promote the health of the community, and particularly for the sake of the children. Swimming not only provides an enjoyable form of recreation, but at the same lime helps to build up a strong physique by developing the muscles of the body. On the ground of public safety the bath is earnestly desired. There are dangerous spots in the river where the boys will persist in ba tiling. Unfortunately, oveh a period of years a number of valuable lives have been lost. A human life, with all its capabilities, most precious at any time, becomes trebly so during the present struggle of our Empire, lie said they may not be able to abolish the danger through bathing in the river, but it is their solemn duty to do all in their power to minimise it. The future ■success of our nation depends upon the children. They are her priceless assets. Any scheme which has for its object the promotion of their good health and the preservation of life is highly laudable. By providing a person with the means of learning to swim we confer a benefit upon him which in a moment of danger may save his life. We give him power to perform the noblest act of all —saving the life of a friend. He believed the day was not far distant when the art of swimming would be made compulsory for boys, at any rate. He said the Chairman of the School Committee had promised on behalf of the Committee to raise a substantial sum towards the cost of construction, and in return for the assistance he wished to see the baths when completed thrown open at stated hours for the use of the children, under the care of capable instructors. In regard to finance, lie felt convinced that when the site was decided upon and secured the citizens would give generous support for such a worthy object, which the Council, he felt sure, would subsidise. In regard to the proposed site, which was between the dead end of the railway and the boat shed, he had been in contmunieation with Mr Hennessy, chairman of the Harbour Board. Mr Hennessy said they would place no obstacle in the way. Since then, however, he had rung up to say that the Board would probably extend the wharf, and the baths, if erected at the spot suggested, may be in the way. The Mayor said he did not think that the spot proposed yfo’uld ever he required for wharfage accommodation. He considered the first thing to do was to apply to the Board for a long lease of the proposed site, or, if possible, get same vested in the Borough. This course was agreed to, and further steps were held over until the next Council meeting.