THE SALTWATER BATHS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 260, 2 December 1903, Page 2

THE SALTWATER BATHS.

The opening of the municipal baths on Thursday afternoon next l>y his Worship the Mayor will mark another epoch in the history of our now fast-progressing borough. Many changes have been made during recent years, but there are now pending great improvements which will remove from gur pretty and thriving town the stigma of being populated by anticjuaries and ill-supplied with modern sanitary conveniences; and will raise her to the front rank of up-to-date and progressive municipalities, besides making New Plymouth more attractive as a watering place. Of these works the consti uction of the baths is certainly not the least. It was a standing reproach thftt, though situated by the ;.va, and inhabited by white people, with sensible opijjipiis pn health conditions, we were for so long without the means of proving by expeiience the old adage that " cleanliness is next to godliness." The health-giving propensities of seabathing are too well known to need recounting in this article, and it is admitted on all hands that swimming is perhaps the most beneficial of all exercises, as it calls into play so . many muscles at one and the same time. 'fhen again, it is well that all should learn' the art of swimming, aR this knowledge may at some time* or other prove of material assistance not only to the swimmer himself but also to others in time of peril. How many valuable lives might have been saved if swimming had been included in the curriculum of schools ! It is pleasing to note that in the larger centres baths have been erected in connection with the various educational institutions, and some of our best performers in this branch of sport are those who received their first ducking at ichool, and who, hut for the erection of school baths, might even now be ignorant of even the rudiments of this healthy and useful pastime. Whilst on this topic it may not be out of place to sugpgest that the local school committees should make application to tl» Borough Council for permission ior the pupils to use the baths fre® of charge on at least one morning l in the week ; always, of course, under the supervision of a responsible member of the teaching staff. This would prove an advance on the past system of taking the children to the Recreation Grounds for bathing exercises. The formation of the various swimming and polo clubs followas matters of course, and here we have a fresh field provided for our young men and young women, and the youth of the district, to show their skill, speed, and endurance. We tiust that there will ibe a large gathering on Thursday to usher in c fust act in the new order o 'f things, which will result in makintr New .Plymouth even more ft as a place of resudence, a credit to ourseTves and to the Garden of New

we feel suio the people will not iongi delay, but will promptly wend their way alon|g the Esplanade to tho scene of the revels, for, us of old, "music hath its charms." The naming oPthe reserve on which the rotunda stands is occupying (Iluite a little attention. " Reserve 15 " is not by any means a highsounding 01' su>grg|estive title, but this fault can hardly bo urged in some of the names submitted. We have heard of King Edward I-'ark, King's Park, Rcgina Park, Coronation Park, His Majesty's Park, Royal Park, Kawaroa, and many others of similar import. King Edward Park seems a suitable name, considering that his accession to the Thraiie was responsible for tho erection of the Rotunda. KPark Coronation, and Ilis Majesty's come in the same category, but although we are aware that as yeL New Plymouth has no such momenclnturo nearly every other town and village in the colony boasts of either a King's, Queen's, or Coronuit'ionVPark, hall, street, or obelisk, liyglina Park has iwkl'i'tlonnl recommendations, seeing that it not, only gives the idea of royalty, but also serves to commend the arrival of one of the earliest immigration ships to Turanaki) and one which brought to Tiara,imkji the father of Mr R. Cock, our present worthy Mayor. But in our opinion the native name Kawaroa is by far the most suitable of all. Tn tho first plase it lis one o-f those words so symbolical of the simplicity and sweetness of the Maori tongue, and also shows tho manner in which the former inhabitants of these, isles Identified topographical details. Then again, we have to remember that there is all probability of tho Maoris -being defunct as a race in n century or so, and in that case posterity will know naught of them save from book-lore. Of the manner and customs of the native race even, the New Zea'landcrs of to-day know all too Httle, and in a generation or two this regrettable indifference will undoubtedly increase. What we should now do is to hand down to future generations soniG emblems of a noble race, now, unfortunately, losing many of their best traits, instead of pe.rpetuar.ing the words "King" (ui«J "Cprojifttion," which, with succeeding sovereigns, will have lpst their tuio significance. " Kawaroa,'' the name of a roof In tlw vicinity, appears to us tho best name yet suggested for the reserve, aticl we hope it wMI bo adopted.

ON THE FOURTH PAGE. The Temperance Question. New Guinea. Detecting fire at sea. African 'Notes, A new Union steamer, Here arid There,