Word On Hanmer Awaited

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31781, 11 September 1968, Page 1

Word On Hanmer Awaited

The result of representations to the Minister of Health (Mr McKay) ,on development of spa waters and bathing facilities at Hanmer Springs is awaited by the Amuri County Council.

The chairman (Mr A. A. Macfarlane) and the County Clerk (Mr T. M. Hansby) reported to a meeting of the council at Culverden that they had had fruitful discussions with the Minister in Christchurch.

After a long discussion the council agreed that any action should be deferred until the outcome of its re-

presentations to the Minister were known.

A Minister had been up every three years just before the elections, said Cr N. A. Vowles. After the election the question of the baths was always shelved on the grounds that funds were not available. This had been going on for 10 and possibly 20 years. The council representatives had been given an assurance that there was no promise to supply spa waters to the Lodge Hotel, Ltd, for a pool in conjunction with the hotel, the meeting was told. An assurance had been given also that before any such agreement was finalised with the company, the council would be consulted about the terms of the agreement. The spa waters should not

go to private interests outside the hospital grounds, said Cr T. Fraser. There was plenty of room in the hospital grounds for the new pool. It was a great pity that the Government had not taken over the hotel and helped to develop the area as a tourist resort, said Cr O. L. Davies. This would probably have solved also the problem of the extensions to the sewer and other services.

The council could consult its local member of Parlia. ment (Mr T. P. Shand), said

Mr Macfarlane, but this should be delayed until after the Minister had replied to the council’s representations. Could the council formulate a scheme to put a pool there? asked Cr M. F. Uren. The council would lose money as swimming pools

- were not self supporting, said I Mr Macfarlane. Who would > join the council in sharing - in the loss? How much more . loss could the council stand •in Hanmer Springs? The i council was already heavily > committed in Hanmer from t having to provide a new . 100,000-gallon reservoir, sewer • extensions, and the upgradf ing of the water supply for r fire fighting. The council should not

have to stand all the loss on a swimming pool, he said. On the published attend-

ance, the department must be making a profit on it, said Cr Vowles. But the pools had probably cost only £3OO when built in those days. Discussion was deferred until the outcome of the discussions with the Minister are known.