TEPID BATHS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14525, 29 November 1912, Page 8

TEPID BATHS.

TELE CHARGE FOR CARNIVALS.

SWIMMING CENTRE'S PROTEST.

At last night's meeting of the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, much indignation was expressed with the recent decision of the City Council with regard to the charges to be made for the use of tho Municipal Tepid Baths for swimming carnivals. The Town Clerk (Mr H. R. Smith) wrote that the question of tho rent to be paid by the Centre for the use of the Tepid Baths on the evenings of tho 16th and 19th December was considered by the City Council at its last held meeting, when it was decided that the Centre might have the use of the baths provided 25 per cent of the gross takings is pakl to the Council. Mr G. Kicii (the secretary of the Centre) said that he interviewed the chairman of tlio Batlis Committee (Cr. A. S. Taylor) on the subject, who informed him that the charge would bo payable by all who used the baths for carnivals. Ho (Mr Rich) explained to Cr. Taylor the expense that the Canterbury and Wellington Centres had incurred in for the visit of tho New South Wales team of swimmers, the total being £60. They were prepared to lose a few pounds, because they recognised the educational value of tho visit of tho Australian swimmers, and because the Centres did not invite them over with tho view of making a profit out of their visit. Working it out on tho charge hitherto made for tho baths —■ £2 per night—tho Canterbury Centre would require to got receipts totalling £25 each night in order to cover expenses. Afterwards he (Mr Rich) interviewed tho Mayor (Mr H. Holland), Cr. Taylor and the Town Clerk being present. Ho had explained the Eosition to the Mayor, who had given im a sympathetic hearing. Both the Mayor and Cr. Taylor explained that the City Council was placing the baths on the same basis as tho parks, and it was suggested that, after the Centre's carnival was held, the Centre should submit a balance-sheet to the Council, and if it showed that there had been a loss the Centre could apply for a refund. Mr Rich added that tho Centre could not possibly expect to make the carnival pay, for though £75 was made out of the New Zealand Championship meeting, that sum in-r eluded £55 received from advertisements in the programme, and from the sale of programmes. When this £55 was deducted, it left an average of £4 profit for each night, and that was, of course, on the basis of rent at £2 per night. In other words, but for the receipts from the programmes, and assuming that on that occasion tho Centre had paid 25 per cent, of the cross taking, it would have lost £8 or £9.

Mr Calvert expressed tho opinion that the Council's charge would lumper the Centre considerably, and he moved_ that a. deputation bo appointed to wait on the Council and ask that tho baths should bo placed at the Centre's disposal for £2 per night for the carnivals to be held in connection with tho visit of the Australian swimmers.

Mr J. R. Buchanan seconded, and eaid that if tho Council insisted on being paid 25 per cent, of the gross takings it would be a disastrous thing for tho clubs, which would be debarred from using tho baths, and as a result club carnivals would be abandoned.

The Chairman (Mr Stokes) remarked that the Council was pursuing a. wrong policy in setting out to make the baths s, money-making concern. ■The motion was agreed to, and the appointment of the members of .the deputation was left to the executive.