SPENDING £14,000

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 7, 8 July 1935, Page 10

SPENDING £14,000

BATHS AND BEACHES

KARON'S CLAIM

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The article appearing in Saturday's "Post" under the above heading, dealing with "Baths and Beaches," in the statement that "a number of councillors maintain that £7000 is far too large a sum for one suburban bath," and context, unfairly sets out the position, leaving the reader with the impression that an expensive, elaborate scheme has been designed for Karori. In order to clear the position of bias I ask leave to make the following comment.

The bath proposed is 40ft x IOOf I, concrete sided, tiled floor, and with only necessary dressing sheds and sanitary conveniences. The site of threequarters of an acre, worth about £600, was donated by the Education Department.- The earthwork and levelling, worth about £1400, has been carried out under the No. 5 scheme. The. district provided £300 as a contribution to the scheme. All the water used in Karori is pumped at a cost (estimated by the City Engineer) of Is Gd per 1000 gallons. The bath when full will hold £12 worth of water. One fill per week will mean £624 per annum for water. Our reservoirs are not large enough to meet the position and provide the necessary margin for domestic and fire purposes.. To conserve water it is proposed to install a filtration plant at a cost of £1700. The running' cost of the plant is comparatively small—the same water being use .over and over again, constantly filtered and freed from dangerous bacteria. There is no running water in Karori which may be used, and under the circumstances the filtration plant is not only a necessity but also a payable proposition.

The cost to the city is thus: —Bath £2200: buildings and fencing, drainage, etc., £922; filtration plant. £1700: total, £4822. . .

To the activity of- our association urged on by the insistent demand of our district is due all the progress-that has been made and work done to date. It will be seen therefore, that for the expenditure of £4822 the council will become possessed of an asset worth over £7000, which is a much different matter to saying that £7000 is far too large a sum for one suburban bath.— I am, etc.,.',''.-.-. H..L. P. DYETT, President, Karori Progressive Assn. July 8. '- (To the Editor.) Sir, —Suddenly there has been an outcry for oaths. People who previously neither knew nor cared whether the baths of the city were adequate now discover there is money to be spent and the council is to lje moved not by the justice of the respective claims, but by the volume of the appeal of the claimants. As to the rights of Karori to be given the accommodation proposed* let it not be forgotten:—(l) That the population is large and increasing, (2) that the district is distant from the sea; (3) that the people have already found a substantial sum of money out of their own pockets for the purpose; (4) that the council took this money; (5) that already a great deal of labour money has been expended on preliminary work; arid, finally (6) that the council made an agreement with the Education Department to construct the baths if the Department gave the land, which it did do. Now, Sir, much of the present agitation appears to be directed at bullying the council into breaking its solemn obligations. Is this fair to the council? —I am, etc., ' ' G. J. J. FEIL. ORIENTAL BAY HAMPERED (To the Editor.)

Sir, —As a visitor I think it would be little short of .deplorable if bathing at Oriental Bay is hampered. Last season, I understand, this beach was much used, and there is every likelihood that this handy and convenient bay will be even more freely used this year. It is so near the city. The beach is an eminently safe one for young and old. Surely the dressing problem can be met in some sane way. Whilst no one's feelings should be wounded it may be observed that we are no' longer living in the rigid mid-Victorian era with all its notions of. false prudery— and external respectability. We are now in a new age. Could not a pier be built, running out into the harbour, on which the present.bandstand could be placed and provision made for dressing' cubicles?—l am, etc.,