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Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 99, 21 January 1935, Page 3

Custodian’s Defence of Day’s Bay

“NOT FILTHY OR SMELLY” A vigorous defence of the bathing shelters for women at Day’s Bay, particularly insofar as cleanliness was concerned, was put forward by the custodian of Williams Park yesterday, when he was asked to comment on the allegations made by a correspondent in Saturday’s “Dominion.” The correspondent criticised the bathing facilities at the bays on the eastern side of the harbour, contending that the women’s bathing “hut” at Day’s Bay was a hovel, and that it was filthy, small, and had been known to smell. At Muritai, she claimed, there were no dressing shelters at all. Admittedly, said the custodian, the accommodation was inadequate on Sundays and holidays, even though there were two sheds for the women at those times. Day’s Bay was in the unfortunate position of being out of the city area, which prevented the Wellington City Council spending money out of rates for improvements. Everything had to be done out of special loan. The proposal to build more accommodation for women had been on the estimates for some years, but the lack of finance had prevented any movement in that direction. Strong exception was taken to the allegation that the shelters were unclean. The custodian stated that they were hosed out and disinfected every morning, i and they had never been questioned by the health authorities. The way they were used by some people accounted for any smells the correspondent might have noticed. The custodian added that it was impossible to clean the sheds when they wene occupied. Every cubicle, he said, contained nails for hanging clothes on. “Apparently the correspondent has not visited Eastbourne,” said the Mayor of Eastbourne, Mr. E. W. Wise, when the question was referred to him. “We have up-to-date bathing shelters for both men and women at the wharf and the recreation ground, and also a women’s shelter in the vicinity of Puketea Street. While you can’t have shelters every yard or two, it is just possible that the Eastbourne authorities might still further improve the facilities this year.” Mr. Wise explained that the sheds at Day’s Bay were nothing to do with his council When an inspection was made of the accommodation at Point Howard it was found that it was in a yery glean condition.