CENTRAL SCHOOL BATHS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 375, 28 April 1910, Page 3

CENTRAL SCHOOL BATHS.

A SUBSIDY ASKED EUR. Messrs F. P. Corkill (chairman of the Central .•'vku.fi Coinmituvj and ;hel!ev. S. S. Osborne and Mr. M. Rudd, members of the committee, and Mr. 11. Dempsey, head teacher, waited 011 the Taranaki Education Board yesterday morning with regard to the question of oaths for the school. Mr. Corkill' said that the deputation asked for the Board's practical sympathy and co-operation in another of the committee's little tre:.„:es. He went on to explain that i<,r a number of years past the committee had been anxious to get a bathing place for Central School "pupils. The New. Plymouth municipal saltwater baths were two miles away, so they were practically useless for the children of the school. The committee's attempt to construct -baths in a valley in the Recreation Grounds had been unsuccessful. The Board in charge of the grounds had met the committee very iairlv, and the committee then took the best advice obtainable, raised money for the work, and spent a good deal of money. But a most extraordinary thing happened. The spring, which had been there ever since there had been settlement in Ta-rana-ki, gave out last year, and the water supply was utterly insufficient. The work had .perforce to be abandoned. The committee now had a scheme for the construction of baths in the school playground. Mr. Dcmpsey had gone carefully into the question of cost, and was of opinion mat suitable baths could be built for £3OO or £4OO. The committee was very anxious to have the -baths completed and ready for use next summer. The members were prepared to put their shoulders to the wheel, and would see the thing through; provided the Board would give a lift of £IOO or £2OO. The chairman, Mr. Jas. Wade, said the Board could help in the only way. by applying to the Department for a grant. He pointed out that it was scarcely two miles from the school to the municipal -baths. Mr. Corkill said that when in Wellington some little time ago he saw the Secretary for Education, and this was amonnr the matters discussed between them. That gentleman had pointed out that the Act provided for baths for sc. oa.larv •, but not for primary schools. Th primary children, it seemed, might go unwashed as far as the Department was concerned. Tiie chairman again remarked that the Board was ready to help, but had no money of its own to give away.

In the course of a discussion and explanations, it was mentioned that a departmental subsidy could be obtained under the technical education regulations. There was a subsidy available for classes in swimming instruction, lifesaving, etc. Mr. Dempsey informed the Board that the proposal was to excavate ba'.hs, the dimensions of which would be 25 yards by 10 yards, with a depth ranging from 3ft to 6ft. rie intended to enlist the sympathy of the schoolboys by getting them to carry out the excavation work. The Recreation Grounds scheme Tailed on account of the swampy natuVe of the valley. The chairman, in again assuring tho deputation of Ills sympathy, said that the Board could not legally make a grant from its maintenance grant, nor out of its ordinary funds, even if it had the monej' to spare. Mr. Trimble explained that the maintenance grant had been reduced by the Department this year. At the same time he couldn't see why they should bother about the technical department. A straight-out subsidy should be available for a work of this kind. A desultory discussion ensued, in which it was evident that the Board was in sympathy with the request of tile deputation. It was pointed out that before the Department would grant a sub-' sidy the money raised would have to i>e in the hands of the Board. This was objected to uy one or two members of the deputation, but eventually the host of detail was abandoned. The Board referred the matter to the Chief Inspector for a report at next meeting.