Story: Government and sport

Learn to swim classes

After the Second World War the New Zealand government put considerable resources into teaching children to swim. The government provided susbidies for swimming pools and began classes. In this 1947 film we see the Wellington Education Board taking responsibility for teaching 6,000 pupils in local swimming pools. Later the role was taken over by the National Water Safety Council (now Water Safety New Zealand), which received financial support through the Department of Internal Affairs.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: Weekly Review 290. National Film Unit, 1947

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How to cite this page:

David Green, 'Government and sport - Support for adult sport, 1937–1972', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/41705/learn-to-swim-classes (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by David Green, published 5 Sep 2013