SUMNER BATHING FACILITIES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18603, 30 January 1926, Page 17

SUMNER BATHING FACILITIES.

TO THE EOITOE 07 "THE FSESSSir—Will you kiudlv grant me space to reply to soine comments ma c > '"Progress"' and "Daniel 1 y° ur issue of this date. "Progress say- • "Sumner lias been practically at a standstill tor a quarter of a century. Well, 1 can only imagine that he has been blind during that period, or e»»o going about with his eyes shut, in the past fifteen or twenty Sunnier has had its municipal and Town Hail, which are a ere<*' the borough, in addition to which t is the destructor for disposing or ■ rubbish and refuse, with a s P ac ' yard. We also have, our own niotoi fire engine, gas works, and are w supplied with electricity, a tplcnam pure iugh pressure watc-i ;■ ■< • sewage system (another being 'am • the present time in the Redcliiis po - tion of tho borough), the sea wall, a Esplanade of the western bay, W1 its beautiful row of lamps as a 1 ea Memorial, and many other things na been installed or formed within i time stated, to say nothing cn tno numerous clubs and recreation groun s that have been formed in recent If "Progress*' had only rubbed < opened his eyes before writing as is has done, and glanced at the mane lons growth of lhe borough, and J IUI1 ~ dreds of new houses that have nee erected (not shacks) within the past "quarter of a century'' in the borougn, I fancy it.would have made him tniuK twice before making such a statemen . It is well known that Sumner. is one of the most-up-date boroughs in tne Dominion. Why, it can boast ot having a motor rubbish and refuse collecting waggon, while even Aucklan , Dunedin, and the much-talked of Timaru still have the primitive tipcart system. Sumner has even given Christchurch a fifteen years lead as , a ,Town Hall. In reference to "What thfe tradesmen say to business in the borough," will "Progress as * them why so many Christcliuren grocers' motor vans are to be seen loaded up and delivering goods in Sumner every week? I think he wi find that the local tradesmen have only themselves to blauie if they five (lissatisfied, through overcharging. Regarding Mr "Daniel's" remarks, i think I have shown that instead or Sumner being "a dead resort it is both a health and very much alive one. I have been a ratepayer lpr neai'y forty years and would not wish to die in a more lovely spot. Children do no appear to be "frozen off," judging t 1 ?'? 1 the thousands that have ueenhere n'li parents and friends the last few weeks. The sewage system is far better and preferable to the antiquated pan sj stem which is to be found. in many other places, and by far less dangerous to health. 11l detailing his wild-cat "steps," "Daniel" omits to give > an estimate of the cost, and how " is to be met. There is at present a faniy heavy overdraft at the bank, and th .Sumner ratepayers may rest assured that our Mayor (Mr W. H. Nicholson) and his supporters on the Borougn Council will "look before they leap, and protect our interests, and no plunge the ratepayers into more rates than are really necessary. ha P s "Daniel" mav have heard that Rome was not built in a da^~^TE. C " Sumner, January 28tii, 1926.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS. Sir,— Regarding your recent subleader touching the question of the legality of the Sumner Borough Council spending money on beach bathing sheds' and conveniencies, I noticed Lyttelton erected sheds at Corsair Bay, and a public man in Timaru assures me tn© Borough Council there has spent a considerable amount of money on the shed accommodation on Caroline Bay. Tliere seems a screw loose somewhere if Lyttelton and Timaru can do these things and Sumner cannot. Furthermore, Sumner has already built and now proposes to renovate bathing shelters. Will someone who knows pleas© explain the apparent contradictions? Even the Mayor and Councillors of Sumner may not be above making clear how they can spend money on repairing bathing shelters and yet may not erect new ones.—Yours, etc., PLAIN MAN ENQUIRING.