PUBLIC TEPID BATHS

Evening Star, Issue 14531, 6 December 1910, Page 7

PUBLIC TEPID BATHS

RATEPAYERS NOT UNANIMOUS BUT VOTE FOR A POLL. The meeting of ratepayers in the Town Hall last night nearly filled tho hall. Mr T. Colo (mayor) presided, and moved —"That a poll of tho ratepayers of the City of Dunedin bo taken to consider a proposal to borrow tho sum of £IO,OOO for the purpose of constructing public baths, with tho necessary plant and buildings for the same."

Cr Tapley seconded. Donedin, ho said, was behind tho times in respect to this matter. Other centres, also places like Falmerston North and Wanganui, had up-to-dato swimming baths. He hoped that the citizens would como forward and show by their vote that.they wished for the baths. Tho pioneers, in their (Scotch foresight and wisdom, provided baths reserves, the revenue of which had been accumulating all these years. The City Council, four or five vears ago, purchased a centra! site for £2,500. That property had increased in value, and, other pressing needs having been supplied, the time had now arrived for going on with the baths scheme. The Moray place site could not be improved upon. Tho sito must be central if the baths wero to be a financial success. The plans had been drawn from tho most, up-to-date baths in the world, so thatventilation and air would be assured. Some had said that the adding of Turkish baths would be an interference with private enterprise, but they had to consider the greatest good of the greatest number, and fn this scheme Turkish baths would be provided for people who were unable to pay tho prico asked at the private Turkish baths. It was also argued that it would be better to provide a swimming pool at each end of the City, at a cost of £"2,000 or £3,000. Ho felt that they should not be parsimonious in this matter, but when they had provided the central tepid bath, and made it a success, they should then provide these other pools. Tho central baths would not take all the loan money. It would leave a thousand pounds or more to provide these pools. He had been' informed bv the town clerk of Christchurch that tho profits of the baths there amounted to £9 per week, and ho could see no reason why wo in Dunedin should not also show a p'rofit from our baths.—(Applause.) Dr Colquhoun said that ho had attended in order to mako sure that the proposal should be remitted to the ratepayers. He would state what ho believed to be the objections to tho present scheme. He heaTtily agreed that tho learning of swimming should be encouraged by every possible means; he would go a step further, and say that swimming should be made a compulsory subject in the schools; ho would also gladlv acknowledge the work of Mr J. A. Park, Mr J. C. K. Sibbald, and others in keeping this question beioro the public; and he might say that tho plans of the building mado tho most of the proposed site. But, having gone, so far, lie would ask tho ratepayers not to assent to this loan. He would give his reasons. In the first place, he believed that there ought to be public baths in every quarter of Greater Dunedin, and ho would no more consent to one central bath than to one single school. Tho baths ehonld be made availablo to every part of the town. That could not be done if tho larger portion of the funds were spent on one bath. His second objection was that an undue amount of money was to be spent on these baths. Tho building woidd cost from £6,000 to £B.OOO, and it Was to be on a site which was valued at £5.000. Ho was informed that good baths could be erected, one for heated fresh water opposite the Botanical Gardens, the other for ordinary salt water at the Ocean Beach, at a cost not beyond £I.OOO. Why should we use a £5,000 nite when we could net one on a City reservo for nothing? Then, as to the Turkish baths, lio thought that the promoters of the scheme had made a mistake in allowing themselves to be entangled) by a proposal that had nothing to do with swimming. It was wrong to use the ratepayers' money to enter into competition with any ratepayer who was carrying on a legitimate business. He was told that if this proposal were defeated arc the poll it would mean farewell to tho prospect of getting public swimming baths. But by voting against tho loan ratepayers would not be voting against a swimming bath, but simply voting against the alienation of money from swimming baths, and swimming" baths alone. He could not believe that the City Council would bo so childish asi to say that if the ratepayers did not accede to tho proposal they would retire from the project. Public "opinion would drivo them on with the question should the Council take tip that attitude. He also held that a public swimming! hath should bo in an open space that had plenty of air and sunlight about it He asked ratepayers not to take his word about the Moray place site, but to go and look at it —that would bo enough.—(Applause). He believed that if this loan wero negatived, it would be the beginning of a now interest towards the making of baths that would really servo the' community.—(Applause.) Mr J. M'Donald: I understand that if this meeting is unanimous a poll can bo taken without the vote of the ratepayers. Is that 60? Tho Mayor: Yes, it is; it would |>c sufficient, but not advisable.

Mr M'Donald : Supposing the poll taken and the loan sanctioned, arc the Council absolutely committed to the Moray place site?

The Mayor : The Council are up to now committed to that site, but any councillor can give notice of motion, even after tho vote is taken, to alter the site. Mt M'Donald said he understood that Dr Colquhoun was not against tho loan, but against the site. Dr Colquhoun said that was so. The Mayor said there was a corner in the baths in which provision could be made for Turkish baths. These could be leased to someone, and help to bear the expense of the main baths.

Mr M'Donald said it would be a pity to spoil the chance of floating the loan that all parties wanted. Would it not be wise to agree to the loan and then for the opposing parties to confer as to the site? Mr J. A. Park rose to support the motion. The accumulated funds from the baths reserves in Brook and Leith streets since 1878, made use of by the City Corporation, came to £5,600, while the accumulated funds sinco 1902 from rents from the Moray place site to date made use of by the City Corporation totalled £B2B— a total of £6,428 —all found money. Against this, 6aid the speaker, debit the cost of the Moray'place site (£2,500), which loft a balance in the hands of the Corporation of £3,928, on which interest was being saved by tho Corpora-loin. Taking the amount of the loan (£10,000) at per cent., the total sum for interest cam© to £450, while from this latter sum had to be deducted tho annual intorest on £3,928, at 4-£ per cent. (£176 15s), and tho annual rents from reserves (say £130). These two latter sums came to £306 15s, which left tho annual cost to ratepayers for the interest on the loan at £143 ss. The Christchurch people made £4OO or £SOO a year profit against opposition from dozens of other baths. As to tho notion of using public reserves, they wore for recreation purposes, and miist not be built on. Who could say what would be tho cost of the pools that were talked of? It would probably run to £B,OOO, and tho upkeep would be ruinous. The objection to closed-iu baths was a bogy. Tho Brooklyn baths, in which 64,000 persons bathed last year, were enclosed, and they were run by medical men!—(Applause and laughter.) Dr Closs supported tho motion. The water must be tepid, otherwise the baths would be practically useless for those who could not swim. He could not find any fault with the Moray place site. Some of the sun might bo shut out during a portion of the day, but for a covered-in bath he did not see much use in sunlight. There was not much sun in the High School baths. If there was proper ventilation, and the water were not overheated, there could not be anything wrong with tho air. There was provision for a proper soap bath, in which everyone would be cleansed before entering. Properly conducted, there was no more risk of infection about a public swimming bath than in a church or a .theatre. —(Applause.)

Mr 11. D. Bedford, speaking for the proposals, said that Dr Colquhoun appeared to have abandoned some of his former objections. He had formerly objected to tepid water, and said it should bo cold.

Dr Colqnhoun : When? Not so. I have always maintained that in teaching bop and girls to swim you must have tepid baths.

Mr Bedford went on to say that the school capitation of 2s 6d a head ( for all children who aro being instructed in tho schools in swimming was not now earned by a single school in Dunedin. Mr G. L. Denniston said that if this proposal wero rejected, it would mean hanging up a public baths scheme for years to come. We wanted the baths badly. He was much impressed by the opinions of Mr Henry as to the suitability of the Moray place site. If there was any loss on the scheme, it would be infinitesi. uial, and not worth thinking about in comparison with the advantage in teaching our children to swim.—(Applause.) Mr W. Asher related the experiences of the company that ran an enclosed warm bath in Dunedin. They got encouraging results in the way of leaching the children to swim, and had no trouble about keeping tho water pure, but the expense of running tepid baths was too gredt, and the affair did 'not pay. Dr F. C. Batchelor combated the objections to tepid water. All the good baths in the world were warm and enclosed. An open-air bath in Dunedin would not be very tempting in winter. Any intelligent architect could ensure efficient ventilation. To talk of the water as diluted sewage was ahsoluto nonsense. It was simply a question of having a plentiful supply of water. ]f there was enough water it would be good water, whether hot or cold.

Mr T. Dcchan held that Dr Colquhoun had raised very strong and sound objections. Several of tho speakers had simply dodged the argument about the Turkish baths. Fifty per cent, of the money would be spent on the Turkish baths —(cries of dissent)—and the vote would fail on that ground.—(Applause.)

Mr G. Morgan also supported Dt Colquhoun. He wanted to see the City have tepid salt water baths on a suitable aite, and that site must be tho foreshore, in association with a destructor to give the heating. There should be two baths. One would be of no earthly good. Two good ones could bo erected for less than £IO,OOO. It would cost £I,OOO a year, on the present plan, to heat 125,G00gal of water, and in a year the baths would be closed down owing to the expense. Ho suggested a conference and an adjournment, so as to devise some efficient scheme. Cr Tapper asked where the destructor could be placed in a central position. The present scheme had been carefully thought out.

Mr W. J. Morrell said that salt water had been considered, and no one could say how it could be got in a pure state and in sufficient quantity. The closed-in baths at the High School did not seem to affect the boys' health. They took the precaution of making the boys go' under a cold shower afterwards, and itluy were not allowed to stay in too long. Mr J. M'Donald said he believed the money could be got at 4 per cent. He strongly favoied the motion, but would like to see the people carried on the trams from any quarter on the baths ticket. The motion was then put, and carried by a substantial majority.