Under 12 Children Barred From Baths

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 23, 28 January 1937, Page 2

Under 12 Children Barred From Baths

PRECAUTION AGAINST PARALYSIS INFECTION (Special to “Times.**) HASTINGS, Jan. 27. Children under the age of twelve ar* debarred from using any of the swimtning baths in Hastings because of the infantile paralysis epidemic, until the restrictions are removed by the health authorities. This action follows a notification received by the Hastings Borough Health Inspector, Mr C. Carrel!, from tho Health Department. Wellington. The letter received from Wellington states; “It appears that different age restrictions aro in fore© in different localities concerning the admission of children to swimming-baths. It is recommended for tho present, in all districts where cases of infantile paralysis aro not prevalent, that children under the age of twelve be excluded and that no restrictions should be enforced above that age.’* All the Hastings school committers controlling swimming-baths hav© been notified of this decision, and the caretakers concerned havo been requested to see that the Health Department’s recommendation is enforced. If the children wish to go swimming at all, they will have to go either to tho sea or to the rivers. Tho various Hastings swimming clubs will not be affected to any great extent as far as their carnivals aro concerned, according to inquiries made by the “Herald-Tribune” this morning. The competitive swimmers in the club teams ar© mostly over the age of twelve, and only a few juniors in dach club team will be affected by the ban.

Why the action of the Health Department has been so long delayed was die question raised by an official of one swimming club in discussing the ban with a reporter this morning. “To wait eo long before any action was taken is very hard to understand,” he remarked. “However, now the decision has been made wo wiH have to comply with the Health 14£ partment’s ruling.*’-