TEPID BATHS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 446, 11 July 1922, Page 6

TEPID BATHS.

.BOROUGH ENGINEER’S SCHEME,

NEGATIVED BY COUNCIL

UNABLE TO MAKE IT PAY

An interesting report outlining proposals for converting the municipal swimming pool into tepid baths, which was drawn up by the engineer (Mr J, ft. Hughes), was submitted to last night’s meeting ot the Borough Council through the baths committee. Under his scheme, which the committee recommended should bo adopted, Mr Hughes pointed out that the water would gravitate from ihe bath to a pump by means of which the water was pumped to an aerator and thence delivered from the aerator to the I’d ter, thence to a heater and from the heater to the- hath. In conjunction with ilic plant a boiler was to be installed to supply the water to the punt]) and the healer. ‘The plant for this system was manufactured in Manchester, and it was the method mostly used in ihe swimming baths in the* Old Country. >\C held had actual experience of the working ol this system in Dunfermline, Scotland, whole it was installed in ihe “Carnegie” baths, and was giving every satisfaction. Ihe cost of installation would depend naturally upon tin 1 capacity of the plant which he leeonimended should he 10.000 gallons pei hour. „ , the question oe cos I. The installation cost could be cut down Lv the use of a second-hand boiler and ho believed it was quite possible that with i u‘ installation of electricity there would he several serviceable boilers of suitable capacity available at a very low pnee. 1 e estimated the cost ol installing a 10£00 gallons per hour plant as fol °wskiltei, aerator, pump, strainer and heater second-hand boiler and chimney stack cost of installation £250, _ boiler and M e house £7OO, contingencies £275; total, engineer went on to state that when the baths were erected provision was made for the covering in of same so that no alteration would be required to the pie cut structure. Cutler the ongmal scheme o vision was made for the erection o \ h\ . rooms at the baths for the < ait • <■ • estimated that the cost ol roo nig ■ a d com old in? the baths according to the or nal plans to be £I7OO. His estimate ZfmA the baths into a tepid bath roofing in of main bath and provision ol ea ret utter's quarters, would amount Mr Hughes submitted an alternative proposal which he said was pure y a 1 cat g System on the gravity principal, but he diet not recommend its acceptance. In recommending the adoption o proposal favoured .by the tMign.eei, he baths committee pointed out to the| (0l » 1 ihe additional expenditure and . led the revenue for the furtlaer “ al « would be open would he im f 925 AX IMPOSSIBLE I’ROPOSAI,. CV Eliott commented that the fact that the proposal would involve an annual Jos. made it impossible. (>. Graham (as chairman of the com mittee) said that losses on municipal tepid baths scorned lo be pretty general I .roughout. the Dominion. In this connection ho cited the case of several centres and said that a deficiency seemed unavoidable. The Mayor, in speaking against the idjoction of the recommendations said hat, while he. would like to see tepid baths in the town, he would remind councillors that they could not go with all these municipal enterprises, losing, money ike wc do ” The council was incurring a los* on the buses and other things and it was impossible to carry on indefinitely m this "(T. Eliott moved that the proposal be not gone on with. Cr. Oram seconded the motion. Ur Jackson pointed out that the leirace" End School was already “on the warpath” for baths of its own and other schools would doubtless follow suit. It stood to reason that us baths wore erected in outlying districts more and more patronage would bo withdrawn from the municipal baths. . . Ur. West, in opposing the motion, said that the council had broken faith with the ratepayers in not having provided tepid baths, ‘seeing that the loan originally carried included a sum for the purpose. Eventually, however, it was found that there was not sufficient money for tepid baths.

The .Mavor: The war came. (,'r. West: Yes, the war came and the costs’ went up. Reverting to the situation to-day, he complained that on account ol the climate and the coldness of the water the months during which the baths were made use of by swimmers were considerably restricted/ In consequence, swimming was largely an unknown quantity in Palmerston North. The erection of baths at the various public schools would not detract from the revenue at the municipal baths, as if they were made tepid the children would patronise them regularly for six months in the year. The proposed loan would also enable the Opera House to be beared, as in winter it was cold and dungeon-like.

Gr. Eliott; It docs not prevent the people from crowding it out when anything comes to town.

Cr. Lancaster said he was satisfied that the revenue had boon under-estimated. "I think,” he added, “(lint wo should not turn it down yet. and f move that it be held over for a fortnight. I think yon will find that the town will do something yet to see it through.” The Mayor remarked that if Cr. Eliott’s motion were carried, public interest in the matter would be stimulated. Other councillors pointed out that there was little likelihood of funds being subscribed in the town for the purpose and the amendment was .rejected in favour of Cr. Eliott’s adverse motion, which was carried.

The following appeared In our Second Edition of yesterday;—