SWIMMING BATHS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1363, 6 October 1886, Page 2

SWIMMING BATHS.

TO THB EDITOR. Sib, —To the public of Ashburton a most lame snd unsatisfactory climax appears to have been reached at Monday night’s sitt'Dg of the Borough Council retarding bathing facilities for the town ▼z. “ That the matter of strimming baths be left in abeyance for the present/’ Why that is jnsl what has been done for years past, and I feel sure many ratepayers fatly expected that some provision would have b en ma-’e for bathing and swimming this coming summer; last night’s proceedings seem, however, to show that if each is the case the people will not have to thank the Borough Council or the privilege. The point at issue seems to be the financial one, and like in other cases here regarding public matters, nothing can be done unless the public pay for ic. I think the Mayor took quite a wren* view of the question of baths when he tried to show that by having them on reserve 771, the cost would be reonpai I think the idea of their being mads a source of revenue to the C unoil should not influence the matter at all; the public health and eonre lienee should be the chief consideration, and if the siti of baths is to snit the bulk of the pipu ation, it does seem absurd for such a plaoo as reserve 771 to be chosen, almost on the bank of the river, and as far away from the residents of the town generally as any site can be found, unless the dver itsalf is chosen; when the domain is central and yet retired. Again, regarding a caretaker, surely there can be no -difficulty in arranging such a matter as tbia between the Domain Board, who already have one, and the Council, or even an arrangement bein* come to by which the whole charge of the water supply channel and works in the Domain would be handed over to the Council. Ths reason also given that it is inadvisable to pollute the water for flashing the channels and fire prevention reads very strange. Surely the committee do not suppose people bathe in the summer simply for cleansing themselves ! Why, Mr Kditor, on - drain running into the channels in Gust street deposits more filth therein in one day than would come from all the bathing in the Domain in a whole season. It appear to me that the members of the Baths Committee, for soma purpose, went out of their way to find reasons against the site of the Baths being in the Doma n, but 1 still trust to see them placed there, and the promise, made when the water was first brought in, that bathing facilities would be provided there, c*rriei out this season—adding .to the comfort and health of many.—l am <&c , A Swimmer.