CITY BATHS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5949, 5 March 1881, Page 3

CITY BATHS.

A deputation waited upon his Worship the Mayor A. H. Ross, Esq.) yesterday morning, for the purpose of presenting a petition in favour of the construe tion of salt-water baths for the city. Councillor Street headed the deputation, which consisted of a about 12 gentlemen; Councillors Allen and Carroll were also present. Councillor Street said: Your Worship, I have heen requested by a deputation of citizens to present to you a petition from about 500 ratepayers, praying that the Corporation will take into consideration the question of erecting salt-water baths in the harbour The petitioners desire rto direct attention to the fact that there are certain baths reserves belonging to the Corporation, which are now let and bringing in a considerble annual revenue. That revenue the petitioners think should be" set apart specially for the maintenance of baths. The Corporation hitherto, I believe, have not used that revenue for the purpose indicated. I understand that it has got into the general account, and has to some extent been absorbed. .However, that question is for the consideration of Council; and if the members of the Corporation'can see their way to' erect baths, they will earn for themselves the grateful opinion of the ratepayers. I shall read the petition, which is as follows: "Tothe Mayor and Councillors of the City of Dunedin. . i . The memorial of the undersigned ratepayers and other residents in Dunedin and the neighbourhood showeth—That it is urgently desirable that without further delay a salt-water swimming-bath shall be constructed in the haibour, in some locality easily accessible, for purposes of health and recreation as well as-of enabling the youth of both sexes to learn the useful art of swimming. That the existing baths at Pelichet Bay will be useless next season, in consequence of the filling-in operations of the Harbour Board, and that it is therefore inexpedient to expend any money in endeavouring to effect their improvement. That thelPublic Baths Reserves are now bringing in a revenue of £160 per annum, which in the course of two or three years is-likely to be trebled • tne^expenses of construction and maintenance of the baths can therefore be met out of the proper fund set apart for that purpose and the takings of the baths without trenching upon the ordinary city revenues That it is understood that the Harbour Board are willing to grant a suitable site! "Your memorialists will ever pray, &c." , (Signed by. 530 ratepayers.) I may mention, that the plan your Worship suggested to me of issuing debentures I have mentioned- to some members of tha deputation, and they highly approve of your suggestion. I have no doubt that if the debentures are issued for small gums they will be readily taken up by the ratepayers, and more especially will that be the case if the idea now put forward is adopted, and part of the rcvenuo from the reserve is set apart for the purpose of paying interest thereon. Speaking for myself I Bhall bo very glad to take seme of them up to assist theobject. * . ■ : His Worship:. The petition/of course, will have to come-before the Council at its first meeting. I will take care that it is presented: it is very important. What has been stated by Councillor Street as to the amount received from the bath reserve is quite correct r raere-aniuerSr-ntTeast-triere-will have become due" at the end of this month,:£99o as rent for the baths reserve; but I am informed that a considerable portion of this has already been expended upon the reserve and upon the streets on which the reserve abuse, and that otherwise the rental would -not have been so much as it is at the present time. _ Theonly way that lean see to further the wishes of the petitioners is what Councillor Street has referred to—asking the permission of the ratepayers to borrow such asumaswill be required toconstructthe baths—interest on the amount to be secured by the rents accruing from this reserve. I would certainly support a proposal of that kind from any councillor • because, however impolitic 1 consider it" to be to increase the overdraft, I think there can be no objection to borrowing in a legal and legitimate way, if it is left to the ratepayers to say whether the money shall be borrowed or not. To increase the overdraft is of course quite legal, but it is getting morey bya side wind and in a way the ratepayers cannot control. In the present state of city funds, I think the ratepayers should say whether we should increase our liabilities or not. I certainly should support the construction of baths if ja, suitable site could be obtained. If the permission of the ratepayers were obtained to borrow the amount necessary to construct suitable baths, I can see no possible objection. ,_ Mr Clark said that some five or six years ago the Provincial Council set apart a site for city baths His Worship: That is the piece of ground that is bringing in the rental, and we cannot consider the whole amount as a credit, because the rent would not have been so much had a portion of money not been expended in improving the reserve. In estimating the amount to be placed to the credit of the baths it would be necessary for the Corporation to take credit for what it had expended in improving the reserve Mr Clark repeated that he understood that another piece of ground had been set apart as a site for the baths. ....... [^Councillor Carroll said thatthedifficultyin the way lof erecting baths had been the question of site The present suggestion was to his mind most feasible and if a site could only be secured, he thought they mon borrowing and expending the •;:Mr,; Clark said that the Harbour Board had been communicated with and had expressed themselves willing to set apart for bathing purposes an acre or an acre and a-half of their area inside of the rocky wallmg ; There would be no difficulty in obtaining a site for the baths. . . . twr MASSE7. w¥v Calldd in> ard gave it as his opinion that, no land had been set apart for baths other than the ground from which a, revenue was now being .derived. ■ -.'.. . . \ ■ ...'. .. b His Worship said that it was almost certain that if a ?l» °/ ™th3. had been fixed by the Provincial Council the site had since then been reclaimed. ; •f'S'/tRE^- roferenco to the charges which it I Tven lntlmated would have." to be made against the baths reserve and the expense of the formation of the streets would be met by the rates that had been and were being collected from the occupiers or tne property. -'" ' ... His Worship: For myself I am quite in favour of as.large a proportion of the revenue being devoted to the purpose of baths as possible.; but still, if you consider that the value of the site has been increased by this expenditure, .it is:only fair that the amount expended upon its improvement should be refunded. ■«.! pT S¥ 1S petition will be-presented to jthe Council, and within: the limits I have named it will.have my hearty support, and I have no doubt it will have the support ofrthe other councillors now present. ■■-■ -■• - - > / ■■= .- .