PUBLIC BATHS.

Evening Star, Issue 14689, 5 October 1911, Page 7

PUBLIC BATHS.

MORE DEIAT. The council had to consider last sight a definite proposal from the Reserves Committee in reference to public baths, their recommendation leadings "Your committee recommend that tha amended plans of public swimming hatha and building, as prepared by the citv building surveyor, be approved, and that "the Finan<» C&mmittea he authorised to take the necessary steps for raising a loan to cover the cost of the ■work, whach .is estimated at £8,542 10s." The amended plan is similar in every respect to the original plan, with the exception that the Turkish baths and the caretakers' residence have been deleted. Cr Domglas began with the announcement that he had been requested to explain the matter fully, and would ask the council to 'bear with him. He did not often speak. Cr Green was overcome by the last part of this announcement. > Cr Douglas then moved the committee's recommendation. On December 21, 1910, a proposal to erect baths on the Moray place site at a coat of £IO.GCO was lost at a poll of ratepayers, of whom only 890 voted. The present General Committee had taken the matter up, and now recommended the council ,to approve of a modified plan prepared 'by the city building surveyor, The modification eliminated the Turkish baths and caretaker's residence, ■which made a difference of closo on £1,500. The first question ho would put to the council was whether they were going to consider this question from the standpoint of a business undertaking or from the standpoint that baths were a necessity to the ratepayers. And he held that they must look at it from the latter point of view. Objections had been raised to the site, some saying that if the baths were put elsewhere they would prove a payable concern, but that was mere conjecture. Others objected to the site because they thought it was too valuable to be used for this purpcee. Personally, ho had been originally opposed to this site, but now felt that its centrality should recommend it both to the council and the people. lie might mention, for the information of the former, that the sum to credit of the baths- reserves revenue account was £264 5s at the end of the present half-year. Moreover, the annual rental accruing from the baths reserve was £122 15s, which would go a good way towards relieving or reducing any deficiency on public baths to be erected in Dunedin. Dunedin was now practically the only town without baths, and he felt that the time had conic to do the work and get rid of the election cry. If they erected these tepid baths in Dunedin they naturally might expect to have them more strongly supported even than Ohristchurch. because of climatic conditions, and there last year there were 185 season tickets, 2,952 youths' tickets (at Is each, four swims), 8.625 single ticket* (at 6d each), 5.935 adults' tickets (at Is each, three swims), 1.720 (at 6d) for private hot baths, 20 at 2s 6d (entitlmg holders to six hot private baths), while 17,621 persons had used towels, trunks, etc., during the year. Cr Douglas concluded bv saying that he believed they had eliminate'd the part of the original plans which had been held up- as a bogy, and he had no doubt that the ratepayers would carry it. when it was placed before them again. Cr Sinclair seconded tho motion. Cr Clark 6aid that while the council •would admit that baths were necessary, the point the council had to face was—-"Is the time opportune to bring this proposal before the people?" There were many things to be considered. The people had not ekown any enthusiasm when it was put to them less than 12 months a.go; it would cost perhaps £IOO to take another poll; there was the money market to be considered r and there was the point whether they should not wait for the destructor, go that they could heat the water without expense. Cr Stewart moved an amendment that the recommendation be referred back to ihe committee. It was, he said, not long ago since a similar proposition was turned down; again the City Council had to coneider the people's interests, in order of importance, and good roads (as an example) should .come ahead of baths. It might be said that the money for the latter would come out of loan monev, and therefore would not affect the ordinary money for reads, etc., but thera was no doubt that in the case of a shortage of revenue the money to be spent on City works would be "curtailed. Moreover, there wai> the. position of the Y.M.C.A. baths still unsettled, and when the council saw how these worked they might feel that the. City was sufficiently supplied, and that it would be better to' have their (the municipal) baths in the residential suburbs. Cr Sullivan seconded pro forma. Cr Wilson saw nothing in Cr Stewart's reasons for delay. The poll might be taken at the same time as another vote, and then there would be no expense; and as for the money market, he thought that money was being raised apparently with ease at 4 per cant. The 6ite must bo central, because they were not in tho position, in a city of this size, to have two hot baths, one north and one south, and therefore in fairness to tho City it must be central. As for the destructor argument, if they were going to wait for that they would'be postponing baths for years, and. moreover, the site of the destructor would be unsuitable for bathe. Cxs Statham, Stilling, and Green supported the amendment, Crs Marlow and M'Donald the committee's recommendation. Cr Carroll said that with the shortage of water they had experienced it would not be advisable in the meantime to go on until they had satisfactory assurance that the water supply woukl be sufficient. Cr Fiddis expressed tha same view. He admitted the necessity for baths, but it was "no go" without the water. Cr Douglas, replying at length at this stage, said that the timo was oppoHune and it was inopportune. It was opportune in the interests of baths, but inopportune because it was not near election time. On the amendment for delay being put it was carried, being:—Far the amendment—Crs Carroll, Stewart, Sullivan, Statham. Green, Fiddis. Clark. M'MiUan, and Stilling. Against—Crs M'Donald, Sinclair, Wilson, Todd, Mariow, Douglas, White, and Myers. An amendment was then put forward bv Cr White to the effect that the Water Committee report regarding a permanent supply of water to the bathe;, and that the Finance Committee he instructed to report as to the financial position and tho most suitable time to bring the question before the ratepayers. The amendment was lost on the voieee.