CHILDREN’S POND IN GARDENS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25709, 22 January 1949, Page 9

CHILDREN’S POND IN GARDENS

Sir, —An overseas visitor is reported to have expressed appreciation of our Botanic Gardens, but I would like to ask ff he observed the disgusting state of the water in the children’s pool by the tea kiosk? I was there Sunday week and was horrified to see sucn murky-looking water with masses of brown matter in it. Maybe the pool has been cleaned since my visit, but I can’t help wondering what kind of impression it had on other visitors to the gardens over the holiday period. I would like to suggest that if the cleaning of this pool has had to be shelved fpr lack of labour or because it is only an annual event anyway, that waterlillies should be planted there; they are beautiful at this time of the year and the water would not contaminate any unwary youngster who ventured too near.—Yours, etc., E.F.L.

January 20, 1949. [“The cleaning of the pond is not an annual event,” said the Director of Parks and Reserves (Mr M. J. Barnett. “In the summer months it is cleaned once a week, except during the Christmas and New Year period, when it is only cleaned once. The pond is regularly treated with chloride of lime and copper sulphate to kill any bacteria that may be present. In spite of regular cleaning, leaves naturally blow into the pond during a wind, which, of course, is inclined to make the position appear worse than it really is. Arrangements are now in hand to provide a more effective outlet for the pond, which, it is hoped, will overcome some of the difficulties at present experienced xyith floating leaves,” he said.]