RAVENSBOURNE BATHS COMPANY.

Evening Star, Issue 7188, 16 April 1887, Page 2

RAVENSBOURNE BATHS COMPANY.

The adjourned annual meeting of the Ravensbcurno Salt-water Baths Company was held at Rotheuay last evening, and was fairly well attended. Mr W. M. Hodgkins (chairman of directors) presided. The report stated that it was thought desirable to defer the presentation of the balance sheet and statement of accounts till after the close of the bathing season, so that the shareholders might see the results of the year’s operations. The baths had been fairly attended during the season, and if the Company could secure the piece of land between the enclosure and the railway line, so as to make the approaches more presentable, which could be done by filling up the pool of water and laying the space down in grass as a tennis court and bowling green, the general attractiveness of the baths would be greatly increased. The directors would urge upon shareholders and others resident in the district the advisability of taking up the few remaining shares, as by so doing they would enable the Company to pay off the trifling debt which remained on the property, and extend the advantages and benefits which the baths had hitherto been to the district. The balance-sheet showed that the revenue for the past season had been L 77 3s lOd, and after paying interest on the debentures there was a credit balance of L3l2s 7d. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, expressed a wish that the unallotted shares would soon be taken up. Thereason for that was that there weve a few debentures, which had been floated to enable them to effect improvements in the baths, and the directors thought that the shareholders might take up these shares, or get their friends to do so. There were a little more than 200 of them, and if they were taken up it would enable the Company to pay off the debenture-holders, and instead of paying interest it would come back to the shareholders in dividends. What he would prefer to see was that shareholder.! should get residents of the district, who were greatly indebted to these baths, to take up shares. It would widen the interest in the baths, and make them self-supporting. The baths had only been in existence for two years, and considering the circumstances they had been a very great benefit to the community. The baths were not undertaken on financial grounds, but for the benefit of the district. They had done the district a great deal of good. He pointed out that if the Company could secure the adjoining section, reclaim it, and lay it out as a bowling green and tennis court, the value of the baths would be greatly enhanced, and they would be second to none. After a short discussion the report and balance-sheet were adopted. Messrs T. Ross and J. L. Ferguson were re elected directors, and a hearty vote of than) s was given to the secretary (Mr R, M'Culloch).