The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1911.

Evening Star, Issue 14688, 4 October 1911, Page 4

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1911.

Among the recommendations of the General Committee of the City Municipal ' Council that will be subSwimming mitted to that body toBaths. night js one concerning Public Baths. It asks (hat the amended plans, as prepared by the city building surveyor, be approved, and that the Finance Committee be authorised to lake the necessary steps for raising a loan to cover the estimated cost—viz., £3,542. It will be within the memories 6f ■ ratepayers that the proposal to erect Public Bat ho by the City has been under discussion on several occasions during the last decade, and that some months ago the citizens were asked to sanction a loan of £IO,OOO for this purpose. That permission was not then given—not, however, from any strong objection to the proposal itself, but because the Council—somewhat unwisely, as we suggested at the lime—had .encumbered it with the addition of the further proposal to build Turkish baths and a caretaker's dwellinghouse. Of the wisdom (wo might add the necessity) of making provision for the needs of the rising generation in this direction nearly everyone is agreed. There may be objections as to site and number, but there are no valid arguments against the strong desirability of definite and final steps being taken towards the inauguration of Public Swimming Baths. And since no other body can or should be left to make this important addition to those things that vitally concern the health and well-being of the people as a, whole, it falls upon, the citizens in their corporate capacity to take the initiative. What the General Committee now recommended is to abandon the former intention to toad the swimming bath, with the

addition of Turkish baths and a building the utility of which has yet to be proved. The amount asked for is come £1,500 less than the sum formerly voted upon, and the advocates of the now proposals, .while not sanguine that the baths will prove a profitable trading venture, believe that the actual deficiency will not be more than £250 a year. Against this loss, which must be borne by the ordinary revenue of the City, there are set the indirect benefits, which cannot be ignored in any wellorganised system of modern municipal government. In Christchurch, for example” over 40,000 persons used the public baths last year, and during the past three years 710 jpeople have been taught how to swim. It is not necessary at this hour of the day to enlarge in detail upon this aspect of the question. The advantages and benefits of public swimming baths are admitted. What has now to be done is to present the case briefly and effectively before the general body of citizens in order to secure their consent and co-operation. Whether the Finance Committee, should the recommendation of the General Committee be carried, will at once proceed to take a poll of the ratepayers for the necessary authorisation or whether they will defer an appeal till later does not materially signify. The allimportant question at this time is . for the City Council to reaffirm their approval of the scheme ami their determination to carry it out.

The report from the Special Committee of the Hospital Board recommending the purchase of a site at the back of the golf finks and near Halfway Bush for the establishment of a secondary hospital came before the Finance Committee of the board yesterday. It is understood that the honorary medical staff consider this site unsatisfactory, and that they favor another one at Wakari. The whole question will be considered by the board as a body tomorrow evening. The chairman (Mr J. H. Walker) is at present absent in Christchurch, and should he not return in time for to-morrow night’s meeting the matter may be postponed for another meeting. A meeting of the Otago Institute was held in the Museum last night, Mr A. Bathgate presiding over a large gathering of members. Three papers were read, the first by Mr D. L. Poppolwcll, on ‘Plant Covering of Codfish Island ’: the second by Dr Malcolm on ‘Food Value of Frostfish ’; and the third by Mr H. D. Skinner on ‘An Ancient Maori Stone Quarry,’ In addition, Dr Benham exhibited a gelatine cast of the sea bream caught recently, and explained how specimens were prepared for the Museum. He also explained that this bream is not allied in any way to the European sea bream, but is a member of the mackerel group, identical with the warehou of the Maoris.

Tapamii residents have collected the sum of £625 for the erection of a cottage and infections diseases hospital in that district. Word has now been received from Wellington agreeing to the plans for the same, so that no time will be lost in making a start with the erection of the building. The immediate difficulty has now been got over so far as the unemployed are concerned. Work has been found for the most necessitous cases. The Drainage Board have taken on 26 married men, and work has been found for 15 with private employers. For the construction of St. Leonards Coronation Memorial HaJl the West Harbor Council last night received eight tenders, ranging from £950 to £709 19s. Extras would increase the lowest tender, it was said, to £742, a sum in excess of the amount available for the construction of the hall. After lengthy discussion Mr Shaw Crosland’s tender, which was the lowest, was accepted. In addition to this amount were plans, etc., £l7, inspector’s fees £lO, substitution of 4in for 6in flooring not to exceed £5. J. Walker, a fireman on the steamer Karamea, refused duty this morning, and was arrested. When brought before the Port Chalmers Court ho said lie would not work unless he got better food. He emphasised. the poor quality of the food, saying it was unfit for a man to eat. The chief engineer gave evidence, stating that defendant refused to work yesterday, but although saying he had a reason for such behaviour refused to disclose it. The Bench (Messrs D. A. Do Maus and E. Godfrod, J.P.g) advised accused to bring ids grievance before the shipping master. They also advised him to go back to his work. The officers did not press for a penalty. Defendant agreed to go back and resume work, stating that ho was willing to work if he was supplied with decent food. Consequently he was merely convicted and discharged, on the understanding he returned to the ship and resumed work. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon James Wren sued James Motion for £8 13s, a sum allegedly due for painting defendant's vinery at St. Clair. I his building was afterwards burned down, and the point at issue was whether the paintinc contract was completed when the fire occurred. After hearing, Mr Middowsou held that it was not, and gave judgment for defendant.

The West Harbor Council last night decided to direct the attention of the Railway Traffic Superintendent to the late running of several trains last week, the lateness having, it was alleged, inconvenienced several residents of the harbor-side borough. During the discussion which ensued at the meeting last evening convened for the purpose of raising a loan to erect a public hall in Maori Hill two electors strongly objected to the proposal being carried, and suggested that it would be of more benefit it a proposal was submitted to borrow money for placing the borough streets in a. better condition. Mr G- .Edwards, fruiterer, to-day forwarded the following letter to the Town Clerk: —“Will you bring under the notice of your council the fact that I have for a considerable time been telling £4O to £SO worth of tickets per day. Unless your council can see their vay to grant some commission for the (sale of these tickets to enable me to emnloy some person to specially attend to this work I shall be compelled to give, up selling them. I hope your council will give. this matter their car Host cc nsidern t ion. ‘'

Mr Paulin telephoned at 2 p.m. ; Heavy N.E. to N.W. gales ; heavy weather between Melbourne and the South Island of New Zealand ; heavy rains and snow on high levels ; barometer fall very fast after eight hours. The Otago Sunday School Union meetings, which are being conducted by Mr Newton Jones in Cargill Road Methodist Church, were continued last evening. At 6.30 Mr .Tones gave one of his ‘Chalk Talks to Boys and Girls,’ there being a splendid attendance, and at 8 o’clock Mr Jones spoke to teachers and workers on ‘ Methods of Bible Study.’ Mr S. Victor Jones contributed a solo at each meeting. In less than three months 2,800 people have availed themselves of the facilities offered by the circulating department of the Free Public Library. This must bo considered very satisfactory. It should be explained that in connection with the proposed visit of Mr ti. R. Ritchie (president of the Chamber of Commerce) to the Otago Central, he will be accompanied by several members of the committee of the chamber and by a number of representative citizens. Mr A. Moritzson is well pleased with the support given by public bodies to the further prosecution of the Otago Central line. The English mail which was despatched from Dunedin on the 19th August via Brindisi arrived in London on the night of the 2Slh inst., one day early. The mail despatched from Dunedin on the 30th August via Vancouver arrived in London on the 2nd inst., the duo date. Is opium-smoking common in Dunedin ? A correspondent forwards to us a few grains of opium dust (the resilue after smoking the real stuff), with the statement that this dust is in common use among young men> especially down about the wharves. He asks: “ Is this stuff sold openly: if not, could the sale of it be stopped?” The importation or sale of opium is prohibited by Act except under rigid conditions, and it is an offence for persons to smoke opium, abet others in smoking it, or have it in their possession in a 'form suitable for tmoking. This residue in onr hands can (we are informed) easily be brought into form suitable for smoking. -

On Monday afternoon the special com mittee considered the protest lodged against Mr Mandeno’s design for the King Edward Technical School being awarded first prize on the ground that he bad not complied with the conditions ro backlining and shading. After due deliberation it was resolved: “ That the transgression of the conditions, if any, is so trivial that the board bo recommended not to entertain the protest. ’ ’ We are given to understand that Mr Mandeno has written to the Technical School Board maintaining that he is justly entitled to the prize. However, seeing that he has been engaged to act as architect in the erection of his own design selected by the Committee as the most suitable, ho desires to free the board from complications by withdrawing from the competition. Ho therefore does so on the distinct understanding that such withdrawal is not to bo regarded as in any way acknowledging even the slightest infringement of the conditions. It will now be necessary for the board of management to again appoint a committee to act with the assessor in reviewing the designs and submitting a fresh report. It should be added that preparations are proceeding for the erection of the design already selected.

In the Cargill Road Methodist Church to-night Mr Newton. Jones will conduct two meetings—one at 6.50 /(preceded by 15 minutes’ chorus singing) for boys and girls, and at 8 o'clock for seniors and Christian workers.

The Hope of Dxmcdin Tent, Independent Order of Bechabites, hold their 35th anniversary in the Victoria Hall to-morrow night, when a splendid programme will bo given. Refreshments will be handed round and games will be indulged in. The first blush of spring is with us once again, and we, like Nature, are busy budding forth with an entirely new stock of men’s wear. Every day brings novelties of some , sort—headwear, footwear, or neckwear. Special window displays this week at Wallace’s, the sign of “ the Golden Hat,” Princes street —[Advt.] A meeting of passengers and descendants of the ship Robert Henderson will be held in the Early Sot tiers’ Hall to-morrow evening.

No softer or more beautiful effects in photo portraiture can be seen anywhere than in the showcases in Vestibule of Morris, photographer, Princes street. Telephone 859. [Advt.] Swimming in the new baths at Port Chalmers will be taken up with great activity this season. To-morrow evening, as appears from an advertisement in this issue, a public meeting will bo held in the Young Men’s Rooms to form a swimming elub and lifesaving class. Our baby pictures are among our best specimens. They are natural in pose and beautifully lighted, and charges moderate. Acme Photo Co., George street.—[Advt.] Speight’s ale and stout are acknowledged by the Dominion public to be the best on the market,—[Advt.]