BATHS AND TOWN HALL

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25245, 25 July 1947, Page 5

BATHS AND TOWN HALL

Sir, —I was grieved to find in the discussion at the Civic Theatre on Sunday night, the old spirit of disunity, which has wrecked progress for so many years. One section favours modern tepid baths and another a town hall; and it is proposed to take a vote one against the other. I say let us combine the scheme into one, and say both are essential, and appoint a strong committee from both sides to put the matter before the ratepayers. In this way we are more likely to succeed than by having a divided opinion. As a councillor who toured the district with the then city engineer, Mr Galbraith, I know the diversity of opinion among the public; but this can be overcome by a bold and candid campaign such as gave us streets equal to any in the Dominion, of course excluding the footpaths.—Yours, etc., J. W. ROBERTS. July 23. 1947.

Sir, —In a recent broadcast debate on “Olympic Swimming Pool v. Town Hall” only one of the four speakers was a woman. She alone explained in terms of hard cash what the proposals meant to the ratepayers. One of her male opponents lightly dismissed Town Hall finance with the suggestion that the Municipal Electricity Department reserve funds should be raided; but he stated neithe? the amount of those funds nor what should be grabbed. The Municipal Electricity Department reserves will be useful in holding down present electricity charges, and thus stabilising part of the cost of living and preventing increases in the prices of consumer goods, wh’ch are manufactured by the use of electric power. Those reserves must be left with the Municipal Electricity Department. I am getting very tired of those who try to delude with tales of something for nothing. If a Town Hall is worth having it is worth paying for. —Yours, etc.. I SPECTATOR. July 24, 1947.