BATHING FACILITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 262, 9 November 1906, Page 5

BATHING FACILITIES.

The City Engineer submitted to the Auckland City Council la.st night a comprehensive report on the bathing accommodation in the city. With regard to the Albert-street Baths he reports the general condition to be fair. The actual loss per year on tbe baths was £80, j but, including the interest on cost of j construction, etc., it totalled £500 a I year. The receipts averaged £ 140 a ! year, the smallness being accounted for by the fact that the baths were not [ really attractive, the reasons being that ' the water was not changed frequently i enough, that the water obtained from I the Nihotapu source was not always colourless, that the robfing open |in the centre allowed a good deal of j dust, straw, etc., to settle on the sur I face of the water, that from 3 p.m. the I natural lighting was not good, and that j for seven months the water was a trifle ; cold for all except enthusiasts. He j suggested that the. Council should stick to either fresh or salt water for the ; baths, should change the water more frequently, renew the floors and woodwork where defective, lit up slipper baths in the portion of the premises intended for the purpose with hot water installation for 12 baths per hour, with '00 gallons at lOOdeg. to 120deg. Fahr., at a cost of £200 for six months, and jto advertise the baths more fully. The Customs-street Baths showed an annual loss of £125 a year, inclusive of interi est charges. He suggested that the j Council should consider at the close of I the present season whether the baths should not be closed or disposed of. Regarding the petition for the construction of a bath at Shelly beach, he recommended that a bath be constructed opposite Shelly Beach-road, 200 ft out i from the line of high water. He recommended the construction of a bath- : ing pond 100 ft by 40ft, with concrete I walls and floor, constructed at such a , level and at such a depth as to enable i the bath to be emptied every two or I three tides by means of sluices, and j ensuring a. regular depth of 3ft 6in at j the shallow end and 7ft 6in at the deep | end. -Around this will be a timber j super structure containing a residence i and office for the caretaker at the shore j end, and 60 or 70 dressing boxes at the j sidea and sea end, with all up-to-date j conveniences. In addition, at the sea , end he proposed a stage or balcony for I the use of those who prefer the open ! sea. The bath would be approached by i a 4ft bridge. The approximate- cost j would be £2500, and tlie total annual I charges would be £ 320, a sum which should be exceeded by the receipts if I those petitioning for the bath gave it j their support. At the eastern end of i the city there was no site suitable, I save in the Parnell district at the foot of St. George's Bay-road, and the..proximity of the Mechanics' Bay sewer outfall would militate against the success of baths there. He recommended the construction of a bath contiguous to a salt water reservoir, in Gladstone-street, at the back of Symonds-street, at a total cost of £S2OO, including that of a reservoir to hold 250,000 gallons and engine and pumping plant. The total annual charges would be £410, the greater part of which would he received back again, there being a -large population in the neighbourhood. The report was referred to the Streets Committee.