TE ARO BATHS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 114, 7 February 1935, Page 5

TE ARO BATHS

Council Committee’s Inspection IMPROVEMENTS IN VIEW Charges of uncleanliness have been made this week against the Te Aro Municipal Baths by regular patrons. Their contention, laid before the reserves committee of the City Council, was that the floor of tlie baths was a deposit of filth or silt of a most objectionable character, which, when stirred up, created a stench and was something entirely opposed to the hygienic aims and ideals of public baths. It was even suggested that bathing- in these directed waters had probably been the cause of an affection of the eyes from which some bathers had suffered. It was further contended that the bathing space was congested both for women and men, and that Wellington would be better served if an extension of the baths to Fitzgerald’s Point could lie made. A Visit of Inspection. Yesterday afternoon Cr. J. Burns (chairman), the members of the reserves committee and the Director of Parks, Baths and Beaches (Mr. J. G. MacKenzie) paid a visit to Te Aro Baths, in order to see the state of things there for themselves. They were struck first by the cleanliness of the platforms and dressing-rooms, and noted that the concrete walls and wooden piles of the baths were singularly free from any kind of marine growth. One heavyweight bather was persuaded to dive to the bottom and bring up handfuls of the silt. This was blackish-grey, an oozy deposit witli an evil smell. It was stated that the floor of the baths had never been cleaned since the day of its construction some thirty years ago, a state of things which was not the fault of anyone in particular, but is peculiar to the type of bath. At the end of last century Mrs. Meech was the proprietress of baths at Clyde Quay on the site of the boat harbour. Both these, and the sea-water baths at. Thorndon, were palisaded baths —heavy piles witli stout palings extending to the bottom in between. With three-inch openings between 'the palings the tides made free play, and as the result the floor was always of the cleanest sand. Now and again, however, some scum from the harbour would drift into the baths and befoul them. _ When the City Council to >k over the privilege and erected a concretewalled bath, witli an intake below low water mark, it omitted to consider the difficulties attaching to the cleansing of the walled enclosure. The trouble is that as the baths cannot be emptied, they cannot be properly cleaned. Committee’s Decisions. After inspecting the baths, the committee held a meeting on the premises, and instructed, Mr. MacKenzie to consult witli the city engineer (Mr. G. A. Hart as to what could be done in regard 40 cleaning up the floor of the baths (men’s and women’s). The chairman announced that an analysis would be made of the water in the men’s bath to determine whether there was anything in the contention that it might be causing a certain affection of the eyes. The director was also instructed to inquire into and report on the provision of better inlets and outlets for the water of the baths. At present there is only one. It is opened to admit water at hign tide, then blocked so that even at low water there is a good depth of water in the baths. Cr. Burns said that at present the runoff from the showers, including soap-suds, found its way into the water of the baths. Instructions had been given that this is to cease, and the drainings from the showers are to be conducted to the harbour outside the baths. Extension of Most of tlie members of the committee present yesterday consider that the baths have reached the point of congestion, and that if finance could be arranged in a manner agreeable to the ratepayers, it would be advisable to extend the baths to Fitzgerald’s Point. This would mean Olympic baths for the men; the present men’s bath for the women, and the present women’s bath for the children. Such an extension would entail considerable expense.