Dunedinites take to the water

Otago officers at the Trentham camp for reinforcements for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force....
Otago officers at the Trentham camp for reinforcements for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. From left: Lieutenant McKenzie, Major G. Mitchell, Captain Colquhoun, Lieutenants Perry and Ker. Sitting: Col E. R. Bowler (7th Southland Mounted Rifles), officer commanding the force. - Otago Witness, 2.12.1914.
The Dunedin Municipal Swimming Bath has been open for about nine months only, but it has already clearly demonstrated its great value in the teaching of the art of natation to the pupils of the primary schools.

The boys in Standard IV in all of the schools in and around the city have just completed the course of 20 half-hour weekly lessons prescribed by the Education Department.

The bath has been in use for this purpose every morning except Saturday and Sunday, between the hours of 9 and 12, and the lessons have been so thoroughly learned that practically all the boys, numbering between 700 and 800, are now able to swim, some of them showing exceptional ability.

It is only fair to add that this success is very largely due to the excellent system of teaching swimming worked out and used by the instructor, Mr. H. E. Olds.

After the Christmas holidays the girls in each of the schools in Standard IV will undergo a course of 20 lessons, similar to that just completed by the boys, after which the boys in the same standard next year will take up the running, and so on each year, turn about.

By this means all the children in the schools will acquire the desirable art of swimming.

With the idea of still further increasing the great popularity of aquatics among the children, Mr Olds recently approached the teachers with the proposal to hold a swimming carnival embracing all the primary schools.

The idea was taken up enthusiastically, and a suitable programme has been drawn up for the carnival, which will be held on the 9th inst.

The system used for teaching swimming will be demonstrated, and the events will include a relay race, in which 20 teams of boys will take part, a beginners' race, a Fourth Standard boys' championship.

Primary school swimming carnivals have been extremely popular in the north for many years, and with the fine bath now possessed by this city, their introduction to Dunedin will no doubt be a success.

• It is not generally known that the pioneer of the frozen rabbit industry in New Zealand was Mr A. W. Rodger, sen., father of Mr A. W. Rodger, the Reform candidate for the Wallace seat.

At his Birchwood meeting Mr Rodger created a good deal of amusement in relating the hard row he had to hoe in this connection, as the pioneering shipments came under his personal supervision.

Owing to lack of experience in freezing, the consignments arrived in an over-ripe condition, and had to be in consequence rejected.

Instead of becoming down hearted, however, the pioneers persevered and to-day Mr Rodger can claim to have laid the foundation of an industry which has been the means of landing a mint of money in Southland, and which has given profitable employment to hundreds of people.

• A new railway sleeping car, fitted throughout with electric light, made its initial run to Auckland from Wellington last week, and was in every way satisfactory.

The light is fitted up in all compartments of the sleeper, and the occupants of each can switch it on or off at will (says the Wellington Times).

The working apparatus is concealed in a neat box under the car, and is connected by a leather belt to the axle.

The switchboard is conveniently and compactly located near the entrance to the car.

The device was installed in the Petone railway workshops.

There is also a kettle, which can be boiled when required by the use of electricity. - ODT, 3.12.1914.

 


• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

 

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