HANMER SPRINGS BATHING FACILITIES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21319, 12 November 1934, Page 9

HANMER SPRINGS BATHING FACILITIES

TO TU3 »DilOa 0» *K« PBB3SSir,—The paragraph in your paper ol November 8, about Mr C. E. Cross's remarks at a meeting of the progress league, on the possibility of the supply of hot mineral water not being available for the extension of bathing facilities at Hanmer Springs, is my excuse for writing this letter. The experience here quoted should be an answer to the doubt expressed and be of use to the progress league. In 1911 the business people of Hanmer Springs became alarmed at the gradually failing mineral water supply both as to quantity and temperature. A public meeting was called and held in the Hanmer Hall, at which the following, committee was elected to deal with the matter: Mr J. Ashton (chairman), the late Mr J. Dodds, Mr W. J. Horwell, Mr C. A. Lahmert, and the late Mr Percival Smith. The committee made representations to Wellington which resulted in "a water diviner" visiting Hanmer to locate possible sites to bore for hot water. He located Ave sites where he was confident that a supply of water would be obtained by boring. Some months later, Mr Home, a well-sinking contractor, appeared upon the scene, and setting up his plant proceeded to sink for the j desired hot mineral water. After about I a fortnight he had reached the specified depth of his contract, without result. He wired this to Wellington and received a reply to pack up and get out. A meeting of the committee was held and after several futile attempts to get some satisfaction from Wellington, it was decided to send a deputation to Wellington to interview tho Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Mackenzie. The deputation received Sir Thomas Mackenzie's assurance that he would personally come to Hanmer and see into matters. Sir Thomas duly arrived and after a conference with the committee, Instructions for further boring were received by the contractor. This waß continued for some 10 days, when the limit of his contract was reached ' again, without success. On wiring this result to Wellington the contractor received a reply to pack up and get out. ' A meeting of the committee was held and after full discussion as to costs, it was decided to guarantee full payment to the contractor for further sinking to the limit of the plant's capacity. Three days afterwards a blow-out occurred, stonea and hot ,

I mineral water from the six-inch bore being thrown 30 feet into the air. When this settled down there was a constant flow at 15 feet above ground level, and the temperature of the water was 121 degrees. This was brought under control and resulted in an unlimited hot mineral water supply for hot baths being available, and also made' it Dossible to convert the cold water swimming pool into a hot pool. There is little doubt in my mind that further boring could increase the hot mineral water supply to fill any requirements. Unfortunately, the records of the stratas and depth of the' bore were lost in the fire that burnt down the Sanatorium in August, 1914, but as far as my memory serves it was at about 300 feet down that the blow-out occurred the last 20 feet of boring being through a stratum of very hard conglomerate. The springs and grounds were, at the time, under the control of the Tourist Department.—Yours, etc., JAMES ASHTON. Hanmer Springs, November 10, 1934.