RESTRICTIONS ON BATHING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 939, 5 October 1910, Page 6

RESTRICTIONS ON BATHING.

:TEB:pFFICIAi-HEW :

yCouncillorW. P. Luke, chairman of .'the City: Council ;• Baths ;and Keseryes Committee)';'was', questioned yesterday :-by;a DoiuNiqr:reporter as to,whether,;in view of. the recent- agitation," it -.'was : proposed to /extend'rin- any'way the; hours, during which,'the//ThoVndoii: and Clyde ..Qua/ Baths are now open. to. the public':; - ;

'.'Councillor .LukeVreplied that,, the;matter -had';-not. yet'been, consiuered ..by. tne -'committee;:.-; but.. • consented'; to state, his own '.views,;remarking: that he, believed; they were iriiharruohy with'those; of-' his- colleagues... •' ;\ ' "/;::; ;•';.;., -■.;■:"There, : is a-difficulty," said:Mr.'Luke, "in keeping; thebaths open as desired during lunch, hours', and onholidays, owing to the ; long: hours .i of. : work thereby. iui- 1 posed .-'6'ii'-the: custodian.: V.The baths are now closed 1 down .for. period, ih the middle o£ the day,;in order that the chstodian^.may: obtain. a -little: relaxation,' just as any,other;council:employee is en-: titled';to :d6.-v', ! 'l , he. i . duties;!of \this- official are:onerous, vHef has -to- : be\alwayS: oh hand-whjle.the-'baths.arojopen,' in case of -accidehtU;?:>Then' thb .baths' .'and .their surroundings .haye-to.be.; kept, thoroughly; clean' and; sanitary;(which 'involves'- a lot' of c ,lab6uf.;."Keeping",the ibathing v dresses■ in -proper: condition':is another '..heavy task. '. Altogether, the his hands full in connection --with the 'geiiirtl upkeep: of the: establishment, : ; "However,"i,tontinued. Mr. Luke,' ."the matter;-Svill,be'-brought :bef6re,'the'committee, - and.: 6ome'■■' arrangement. will:-.- be made' if possible to permit the. continuous .running of the baths.; This proposal -has, 'on./previous occasions,; been-.'-b'efore. the. committee,' but-,.difficulties ..have 'ex- •: perienced. in giving, it effect, -Extra- lab-i our must be employed; and a man capable: of safeguarding the interest's of the public is not to be picked up every;day.; It"is .essential'that a.reliable 'mtfn.should; be obtained to whom valuable property can Oe .safely entrusted, and -~this,.-Coupled: with.the .fact that .the employment;;isopen .ionly during;. the summer:' montus,' makes.;it difficult to' obtain the! clsiss.: of assistance required. -;■; ''"■■"/■• :■"'..;; "As to opening: the. baths for a longer period on bunday, that is a matter, of policy with •'the council,"; pursued Mr. Luke.. "Hitherto the committee have-been supported »ahvays by'a majority or the council in ; their contention that:;vuc yrusent: hours of opening on Sunday are. ouffi;! cient. It is true that'.a minority, has at times championed the contrary view.' The committee has no intention of. seeking to extend the "present hours. Those people who are very much impressed'with;the necessity of having an-open-air bath oh Sunday may surely find ample opportunity on the beaches on the outskirts', of ; the: city. Something,, we feel,' is duo to tho sentiment of the people. .-'Another.objection to opening the baths on Sunday afternoon is that soma considerable measure/of restraint would have to-be exercised over the great .crowd of people who would assemblO: within the confined space that the baths afford. -Probably -you would have gatherings of five hundred or six hundred people, and tho thing would resolve itself into, a sort, of carni-, val to which exception might fairly'be taken on R Sunday afternoon." ,