TEPID BATHS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 9670, 17 April 1923, Page 6

TEPID BATHS.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING.

DECISION TO PURCHASE SITE,

A meeting of delegates from the different sports bodies of the district, convened ,by the Tepid Baths Committee, was held' in the Borough Council Ohambers last night, the Mayor (Mr G. Wildish) presiding. Mr Wauchop explained that the meeting had been called for the purpose of formulating ways and means of raising the sum of £650. to purchase a site for tepid baths. .Those of them who visited other town did not need to he told what great disadvantage Gisborne labored under in not having a public baths. Their reason for appealing to the sporting bodies of the district was that a j bath, and particularly a tepid bath, ! would he, perhaps, more useful to them than to any other section of the community. It would be of great use to athletes of all kinds, enabling them to have baths after indulging in their contests. In a* place like Gisborne, where practically the only means of ingress and egress was by water, it was of the first necessity that its people should learn to swim, if only for the purpose of self-preser-vation. He was sure that, if they threw themselves heartily into the work of raisings funds, there would not be the slightest difficulty experienced in obtaining the £650 necessary to buy the site. With that section bought and paid for m this way, it would be an easier thing to go to the public for authority to raise a loan for the purpose of erecting and equipping the baths. His own idea was that if all the sports organisations in' the district gave only one function at same time during the next 12 months, by that means alone they should obtain enough to buy the land required. Mr. Wildish also urged the necessity of energetically endeavouring to obtain tepid baths for Gisborne. They had, lie said, become an absolute necessity. Speaking as a,member of the Borough Council, he could give an assurance that, if the land were bought and paid for, the Council would approve the placing of a proposal before the ratepayers to raise a loan to build the baths. , A ihotion approving the action of the Baths Committee in deciding to purchase the land, was carried, and it was decided, on Mr. Wauchop’s motion, that all those present should be formed into a committee for the purpose of raising the necessary funds. Mr F. Collin said he represented the largest organisation in the district, the Cosmopolitan Club, with a membership of about 700,. and that club had always proved, itself willing to help any deserving cause. Speaking personally, however, lie disagreed with the principle of the willing horse always having the carry the burden. He firmly believed that, had the uosition been placed fairly before the public at the_ start, _ there would have been no difficulty in obtaining authority to raise a loan to buy tiie section, and erect the baths as' well. Now, however, that the system of buying the section by voluntary effort had been decided upon, they could rely upon the hearty sympathy and support of the body lie represented in any campaign they undertook .

Mr. A. Stoneham suggested that, as members of the various sporting bodies would probably derive the greatest benefit, these bodies might add, say, half-a-crown to their annual subscriptions and devote it to the purpose of the fund they were raising.

iUr Wauchop moved that subscription lists be placed in tiie hands of energetic members of the different sports bodies, to collect small subscriptions of, say, a shilling or thereabouts, from all their members. This was seconded by Mr. Collin and carried. it was further decided to write to te executive of the Y.W.C.A., the Girls’ Emergency Club, and the Women’s National Reserve, asking ' them each to get up an entertainment during the winter for the benefit of the fund. It was also decided to seek the assistance of the school children. A further meeting of the executive will be held during this week.