Disagreement Over Hamner Pools

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32349, 15 July 1970, Page 6

Disagreement Over Hamner Pools

“The Government has had control of the Hanmer pools for 40 years and I think it has j some responsibility to up-grade them a bit,” the acting chairman of the Canterbury Progress League (Mr P. F. Maples) said yesterday.

Mr Maples was replying to remarks by the Minister of Tourism (Mr H. J. Walker) that a deputation presenting submissions on the pool had had no idea how much the 'total cost would be, where the money would come from or how much public demand there would be. i There was a definite public demand for the facilities at Hanmer Springs, Mr Maples i said. Attendance figures in recent years had been more than 80,000, in spite of the dilapidated condition of the | changing sheds. Moreover, [the submissions presented to ’minister had been based on • proposals made by qualified ; consulting engineers. “There was a gap in the money and that is why we approached the Government,” |Mr Maples said. “The Health Department does not want the pools and the North Canterbury Hospital Board wants to close them next year. We were just asking for a promise of some money so we .could go ahead.” Mr Maples said that the i project was beyond the range of private organisations and the only way to run the pools on spch a basis would be to make the entrance fees prohibitive. A promise of $40,000 from the Government was thought to be a pre-requisite to fundraising other methods of obtaining finance, Mr Maples said. This sum had been allocated by the Government in 1963 when it was preparing to meet the total cost of improvetnents,

Mr Maples noted that the scheme'had received the full support of Hanmer people. “The Minister's Statement was disparaging of both the Akaroa Trust and the Canterbury Progress League,” Mr Maples said.