DIXIELAND BATHS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20081, 19 October 1928, Page 16

DIXIELAND BATHS.

POINT CHEVALIER SCHEME. REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION. REQUEST TO CITY COUNCIL. '•DixiclaiKl, Limited, is going t«» erect baths ;it I'dint Chevalier. The only question is: Where?" 'l'luis (lit; Mayor, Mr. (!, Baildon, summarised the posit ion aftei i a loiter from the company li.nl been read at. last evening's meeting (it I lie I ity Council. A ro<|iiesL to Hie council to reconsider its former decision not to permit Hie company to construct the baths was contained in ihe letter. "Our application is based on the assumption thai it is not now the council's intention to erect swimming l.alhs in this locality." added I,he letter. "In this connection, might we request that we be permitted to place the baths in the position first intended, namely, opposite the council's property, it being understood we arc quite agreeable, to the baths being one or even two chains distant from the foreshore, with tin; exception of that part in the vicinity of the furthest point which projects far out This will, of course, involve the lifting of the injunction granted to the council by the Supreme Court, restraining us from proceeding iu the matter. Best Part of the Beach|>i\ieland, Limited, would have to build baths in front of its own property, and on the best pari of the beach, unless the injunction were lifted, said the Mayor. He thought il would he a pity to allow that to lake place, lie moved that the matter lie referred to the Parks Committee with power to act. on the question of site, and whether Ihe injunction should be removed. \||. \. J, Eutrican said the council should insist that the baths should be under the jurisdiction of the city bylaws, although the baths might actually be situated outside city territory. The whole of the beach to low-water mark should also be under city control. It that were agreed to. the council might go a long way toward meeting Dixieland m connection with the erection of the baths. A petition bearing names was handed in by Mr. M. J. Coylo. The petitioners protested against Dixieland, Limited. being allowed to build baths on any portion of the sandy beach, so as to obstruct the passage of pedestrians round the foreshore. The. petition declared the majority of people desired to swim 111 the open sea rather than 111 baths. J> ieetiuu was also taken to the building o anv baths where girls could conveniently go' from the dance hall to the baths, or vice versa, in bathing attire. "1 will not read all the names til the petition," said Mr. Covle. "The first signature is that of Harold Schmidt, and than comes Lionel B. Fletcher, and so on." Private Enterprise." "I mav say I. am in sympathy with the petition." added Mr. t.oyle. I>ut seeing the ratepayers would not allow the council to erect baths, we should give an opportunity to private enterprise. Dixieland, however, should build the baths at the far end of the' beach, where the council proposed lo erect its We should protect the sandy beach. To (lest rov it would be a calamity to the city Mr. ,J. I!. Paterson: Why (locs not Dixieland, be honest and tell us thev cannot build the baths in front, of their own pmoertv'.' They cannot get foundations. The Mayor: Don't you make any mistnko a Unit it. "Dixieland is not going to have baths attached to our park as far as 1 am concerned," declared Mr. Paterson. Scanning the names in the petition, the Mayor said: "I notice the petition is most representative. There are names from Takapuna, Mangerc East and I'emuera. Thev must have combed Auckland pretty thoroughly to get these signatures." The Mavor's motion, referring the matter to the Parks Committee with power to act, was carried.