Saturday last is a day that should be inscribed in red letters in the annals of the Rowing Club, for shortly after noon on that day the magnificent new Swimming Bath for which the members have hoped and waited for so many years was officially opened by Mrs. E. C. Pearce, the wife of the popitlar Captain of the Club, The new building was gaily decorated with flags and bunting, and some time before the hour fixed for the ceremony a large crowd of members and friends had collected. Shortly after 0.15 p.m. a move was made for the entrance Soochow Road. Mr. E. C. Pearce said that it was so hot outside that he would not detain those present with a speech until they got inside the building, and he then asked the architect to present his wife with the key. Mr. W. J. B, Carter came forward and handed Mrs. Pearce a deantiful silver key, bearing an inscription on the handle, and with this Mrs. Pearce opened the door. As it swung open three cheers wore given for the Captain's wife and the' all present trooped into the buildin, When all wore inside Mr. Pearce delivered his promised speech, Ho welcomed the visitors in the name of the Club, and asked them to participate in the event for which they had waited for 80 many years. All, he felt sure, were longing to plunge into the beautiful silver expanse of bottled water they saw in front of them. First of all he wished to express thanks to "those who had helped; firstly to the Consulate and Board of Works for their' assistant secondly to their good neighbours, the Union Church, who had granted per. mission to build on their foreshore; thirdly to the harbour master; fourthly to the architects, and more especially to Mr. Christie of Messrs Scott and Carter. All admis ad worked like a Lastly he had. to thank those friends of the Rowing Club who had taken up the debentures and assisted to find the wherewithal to build this magnificent bath. He need hardly say that one of the mottoes of the Rowing Club had always been, and would, he hoped, always continue to be, Cleanliness is next to Godliness. In carrying this theory into practice the bath had been placed next: to the good Church, He only hoped that as time went on the Club would continue to be as friendly with its neighbours as it had been in the past. With these fow remarks he thanked all present for a-tending and he hoped that in the afternoon many would make uso of the bath, Three loud cheers were given for Mr, Pearce, which either showed that they came from exceedingly lusty throats. or that the, acoustic properties of the building wore very good. Mrs. Pearce stopped forward and declared the bath to be open, at the same time hoping it would be a constant source of enjoyment and pleasure to its members. The ceremony. over. an adjournment was made to one of the handsome rooms on the first floor of the Club where champagne and sandwiches were partaken of, and where, before dispersing, the prosperity of the bath was pledged.
Mr. Peatce's wishes had their fulfil. ment in the afternoon when over forty members availed themselves of their new. bath. The rules which have been framed
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.