DEVONPORT BEACHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16150, 11 February 1916, Page 9

DEVONPORT BEACHES.

ACCOMMODATION QUESTION.

BOROUGH COUNCIL SCHEMES

ECONOMICAL RATEPAYERS

A statement on the subject of the beaches under the jurisdiction of the Dcvonport Borough Council and the question of accommodation thereon for the public was made yesterday by Mr. J. Henderson, Deputy-Mayor of the marine suburb.

Mr. Henderson, in referring to a statement published yesterday, said that in thekiosk erected three years ago there are sanitary conveniences for both sexes inside and outside the building. In regard to tire point raised as to whether •insanitary conditions on the beaches have anything to do with the spread of infantile paralysis, Mr. Henderson claimed that Dovonport compared favourably with other districts in connection with'the epidemic in question. That was so in spite of the. fact that the children of the borough largely lived on the beaches. The Devonport Borough Council had four beaches to control, a difficult task for a small borough. The council had twice placed beach improvement schemes before the ratepayers, who had rejected both of them. It was only by .a small majority, and after a 'long fight, that the council had obtained authorisation for the present kiosk and conveniences. Another important proposal put before the people by the council was a private individual's offer to provide hot salt-water baths on the beach. The Harbour Board, however, refused to grant a lease to a private individual until the local authority had placed its third proposal— kiosk schemebefore the ratepayers.

"Apparently the ratepayers considered the first two proposals of the council as too ambitious," remarked the DeputyMayor, "forgetting the necessity of pro-, viding for visitors from Auckland. The council has tried to do its duty, but. they needed the ratepayers with them. Another great difficulty in effecting beach improvements is the futility of providing the kind of accommodation that would be desirable without engaging a caretaker. This has been a stumbling-block in the council's contemplated improvements at Narrow Neck. The public will not take any care and damage occurs unless someone is there all the time. We have tried the erection of shower-baths at various places, but as soon as thev have been put up they have been smashed to pieces." Mr. Henderson added that ho would shortly bring before the council a proposal for the lighting of Cheltenham Beach by electricity in order to help to popularise it as a summer evening resort.