THOSE BATHS AGAIN

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4812, 19 July 1939, Page 5

THOSE BATHS AGAIN

LIVELY EXCHANGES IN COUNCIL ‘COMMITTEE NOT CALLED TOGETHER. COST OF CONSTRUCTION QUESTIONED. . Sparks fly in the Borough Council on nearly every occasion that swimming baths are mentioned, and last Monday's meeting provided one of the warmest encounters yet, though the discussion ended on a much lighter note than the one on which it began. When the Council came to discuss this matter Cr. Dobson said that he felt that the Baths Committee should have been called together before now. He was personally alarmed at what the cost was to be to the ratepayers. When discussing with the consulting engineer as to whether the baths could best be built under contract or by the Council, he had been informed that if contracts were called the price was likely to be in the vicinity of £4OOO. The Mayor, Mr. H. T. Morton, explained the expenditures so far paid out in connection with the baths. Cr. Harris objected to the Borough paying one of the staff from its ordinary funds while he was employed on work, in connection with the baths.

Withdrawal from Committee.

As this explanation was being concluded Cr. Dobson said that if the Baths Committee, of which he was a member, was not going to function, then he felt constrained to withdraw from it.

The Mayor replied that he was not very keen to work with people who took no interest in the baths. Of the Committee only Cr. Cameron had made himself known to the foreman and kept acquainted with the progress of the work.

Cr. Dobson held that he was interested in the construction of the baths. It so happened that he was unable to visit them while the foreman was there, but he journeyed down on several occasions. However, he felt that the Committee had been prim ? arily set up to consider the method of carrying out the work in the best manner, and within the limits set. Cr. Cameron: Did not the consulting engineer say that the price would be about £2000?

The Mayor: Yes. Cr. Dobson: They why does he say that the work would cost £4OOO under contract?

: The Mayor: That is just to show you how silly and idiotic it would be to call tenders when we have the labour free. Cr. Harris desired an assurance that the baths would not cost the Borough more than £2OOO.

Or. Cameron said if proper interest was taken, someone would have seen that the Committee was called together. He was fully satisfied with the manner in which the baths were being constructed. He would not say whether the work would cost more than £2OOO, but felt that this figure would not be greatly exceeded.

Cr. Harris said that if the Committee had fallen down on the job, he would hold Crs. Cameron, Dobson and Hetet, as well as the Mayor, responsible. These three members should have seen that the Committee was called together. Antagonistic to Project. 1 The Mayor: Cr. Cameron was the only one who suggested calling the Committee together. I could see no good purpose would be served by calling a Committee which includes members absolutely antagonistic to the project to be considered. Also, the man in charge has never seen Cr. Dobson at the baths. Has he taken any interest in the work?

Cr. Dobson: Will you not take my word?

The Mayor: You have never been there while the foreman was on the job.

Cr. Dobson: I have been down on a number of occasions, but he never happened to be on the job then.

The Mayor: You should have kept in touch with the progress of the work through him. Cr. Dobson: And what good could I do by that? The Mayor: Well, you can take it from me that the baths are going to be built.

Cr. Dobson: I hope you do it within the limits set. The Mayor: It is but seldom that such a job as this is completed within the limits set, but if the price is increased for the baths themselves, we will have to moderate other points in the scheme. Cr. Dobson: If I am a menace to

the Committee, then I must ask for

permission to withdraw. I am not '“antagonistic in any way to the scheme, but I do not want to see the

people saddled with extra cost. If the baths can be built for the £2OOO. I am happy that the work should go on.

Cr. Cameron held that the Mayor should have called the Committee together, but this was really a matter for himself.

The Mayor: I’ll tell you what I’ll do —l’ll call the meeting, but I shall not attend it. I will not sit on this Committee, some of whose members are absolutely antagonistic to the baths.

Cr. Harris: I would like to remind you of a statement that you did not mind who was on the Committee, so long as you were there yourself. (Cries of “Where’s Hansard?”) Cr. Cameron held that it was the Mayor’s duty to sit on the Committee, whether to do so was painful to him or not. He urged that the parties forget their little differences, and settle down to. do their best for the Borough.

Tension Relaxes.

Immediately after this the Mayor said that he would withdraw his previous remarks, and would sit on the Committee, and the tension relaxed. Such remarks as “And they lived happily ever after” by Cr. InnesJones, “I hold a man in contempt if he’s not prepared to fight for what he thinks is right” by Cr. Rundle, and “We hate peace; get up and fight” by Cr. McLennan, each remark accompanied by some laughter, marked the end of the exchanges. Cr. Dobson was strongly urged to act on the Baths Committee, but though pressed to do so, he said he felt in the circumstances that the most kindly thing he could do was to withdraw.