IMPROVING BATHS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 13

IMPROVING BATHS

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS PLAN TO PURIFY WATER PROPOSALS BEFORE COUNCIL An expenditure of £6700 011 the installation of filtration and elilorination plants at the Hobson Street, Pnrnell and Shelly Beach Baths is contemplated by the City Council. It is proposed to raise this sum by way of special order. Reporting to the council last night the flavor* Mr. Ernest Davis, said that, following representations made to him by the medical officer of health, the city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, reported that it would be necessary to embark on considerable expenditure for purification and filtration purposes and the council had resolved that the amount required would bo added to the next loan proposals submitted to the ratepayers. However, as it was not contemplated that loan polls would he taken in the near future, and in view of the absolute necessity for an immediate improvement in the conditions of the baths, Mr. Davis said he had brought the question to the notice of the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, in Wellington and had suggested to him that the council be authorised to raise the sum by way of special order.

Mr. Davis recommended that upon receipt of notification from the local medical officer of health application lie made to the Board of Health for authority to effect the improvements. As it was desired to give some further consideration to the proposed improvements the report was referred to the Parks Committee.

TRANSPORT CENTRE COST OF STATION SCHEME SUM OF £35,000 REQUIRED The total amount to be raised by the City Council for the development of the old railway station site as a municipal transport centre is being increased from £20.000 to £35,000. The Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, explained to the council last nioht that he had discussed the proposal with the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, recently in Wellington and had asked that the council be empowered to add £15,000 to the £20,000 it was now empowered to borrow under existing legislation, without the necessity of taking a poll. He was now in a position to recommend the council to have the necessary amendments prepared. Mr. Davis said he had explained to the Minister that the original £20,000 was set down as a tentative figure, but the estimate when prepared by the city engineer for the works finally contemplated amounted to' slightly over £30,000. The first year's rent of the site, £3OOO, was also included and the balance of the £35,000 was for incidental expenses. Application had also been made to the Postmaster-General for the acquisition of a small triangular strip of land at the back of the post office for the widening of Commerce Street, which was considered to be essential to the scheme. It had at first been suggested that the council should purchase this land, which the department valued at £4068. Mr. Davis said the department was now propared to lease the strip to the council at an annual rental of 4.\ per cent on the capital value, or £173. He recommended that the council lease the property on the terms offered. The report was adopted.

EARLY USE FOR PARKING CONSIDERATION OF DETAILS The proposal to open the parking area on the old railway station site as soon as possible was the subject of a report by the superintendent of traffic, Mr. C. Bland, at the meeting of the City Council last night. At the outset it would be necessary for tho Legal and By-Laws Committee to consider the scale of fees, the appointment of an attendant, the hours of attendance and the erection of suitable signboards, Mr. Bland said. Consideration might be given to the issue of a daily ticket and a weekly ticket. Ho recommended a daily ticket for one parking only at a cost of 6d, and a weekly ticket at 2s 6d to be available for one vehicle only, but no limit to be placed on the number of parkings in any one day. Until the whole scheme was fully developed, he recommended that a suitable traffic officer should be employed as attendant. To keep the cost of staffing down to a minimum, he recommended that the officer should be in attendance between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tho report was referred back to the Legal and By-Laws Committee.