OFFICIALLY OPENED

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 47, 27 March 1930, Page 6

OFFICIALLY OPENED

TBE ROBERT HARDING BATHS. HASTINGS WEST SCHOOL. Some time ago, Mr Robert Harding, of Raukawa, presented £1000 to the Hastings Y.M.C.A. for the purpose of construeting baths, bu£ the Y.M.C.A. was unable to utilise the money in that direction and it was suosequently divided between the • Parkvale and Hastings West Schools for the construction of baths at the schools. These baths have now been compieted, and yesterday afternoon the b.aths at the Hastings West School wero officially opened by Mr G. A. Maddison, in' the presence of a large gathering -,of children, parents and friends. Mr Joseph Wright, as chairman of the school committee, opened proceedings with apologies for the absence of Mr Harding and also the Mayor, Mr G. F. Roach. He said that had -it not been for the generosity of Mr Harding, tlie'ro would probably have been no baths at the school. Hq_expressed thanks to Mr Maddison for his efforts in getting the money diverted to the channel in which it had-' been used, and to Messrs H. Hyland, arehitect, and A. Hampton, contractor for the baths. and also to Mr W. L. Dunn, secretary of the Hawke's Bay Education Board, for his general help. Mr Wright said that. the baths had cost £630 to. build and a balance of £200 was still unpaid but the committee had £80 in hand. The speaker also thanked Mr S. C. Rusbatch for presenting two medals for competition, and Mr Maddison for two other competition prizes.' Mr A. A*. George, on behalf of the Hawke's Bay Swilnrainf Centre, congratulated the school on its fine baths, which would no doubt be a great educational asset to the school. Mr H. S. B. Ribbands, on behalf of the Parkvale residents, said that the people of the district greatly appreciafed the initiative and enterprise of the Hastings West people aud he thanked these people for the fine work they had done and for their help in the construction of the baths at the Parkvale School. ^ Mr Ribbands ehnracterised Mr Harding' s gift as an "act of generosity and spovtsmanship which was deserving of the greatest credit." PLEASING AND IMPORTANT. In opening the baths, Mr Maddison referred to the occasion as one of -the most pleasing and important since the opening of the school in 1919 and it was a notable forward move in the, welfare of the children, and it was gratifying to know that now every public school in Hastings had a swimming bath. These new .baths. were the result of tbe generosity of Mr "Harding and. everyone must admire that gentleman's pii'bllc spiritedness in giving £1000 towards these baths. Mr Maddison said that the greatest tragedy in the world was human wastage, but these baths would prdve a surety for the well being of our race, which depends so much on the general health and physique of the boys and girls. Swimming • should be compulsory in all schools, eontended . Mr Maddison, and if it were, there would be fewer people in ill-health. _ Sir Ti-uby Kiilg had said that swimming was one of the most heneficial exercises possible for good health. Continuing, Mr Maddison said -that statistics showed that only ten per cent. of New Zealand' s school children were alble to swim, but it was gratifying ito note that Hawke's Bay had pride of place with a percentage of 60. In Hawke's Bay £2000 had been voluntarily subseribed in the past 11 years for ihe construction, of school baths. Mr_ Maddison pointed out that Mr Harding had originally given the £1000 for tlie construction of tepid baths 'in the town, but the project fell through. The money was then handed to the Y.M.C.A. and the latter had generoiisly made the money available for Parkvale and Hastings West Schools, in return for which tbe Y.M.C.A. were to reeeive certain small concessions which would enable them to use botli baths.' NAMING OF THE BATHS. The speaker congratulated' Messrs Hyland and Hampton' and expressed regret tliat Mr Harding was hot present to hear the spontaneo'us appiause which had 'been accorded him for his generosity, but it was pleasing to know that his action had been commemorated hy naming the baths after him. In declaring the baths open, Mr Maddison wished the children many happy and heneficial hours of recreation in the water. , The children lost no time in taking to the water and spent a happy time for the rest of the 'day.