PUBLIC BATHS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13812, 28 January 1907, Page 4

PUBLIC BATHS.

TnpSE gentlemen who from , time to timo have manifested their interest in swimming in a practical manner by endeavouring to stimulate the City Council to undertake tho erection of public baths for this city have- in so doing shown a consideration for the wants of tho community becomino in good citizens. These have unfortunately met with little encouragement in their laudable efforts, aud, despito a good deal of agitation, deputations to the Council, estimate, plans, and so forth, are, as far as the object they liavo in view is concerned, no. further ahead then before. They are entitled to' credit for their endeavours nnd to sympathy in their aims. They liavo got sympathy from the City Council, hut little else. Thoy are no doubt the more zealous now in urging their cause ■ owing to the fact that in November the Council, lvhilo expressing approval of the principle of public baths, declined to take over for a. period the management of the baths in Frederick street. Tho Council has thus discontinued the active assistance it had been giving for some time past to the cause of swimming by payment of a subsidy to a large Swimming Club to assist it in keeping the baths referred to in repair, these being occupied by this club under a lease which has now expired. The attitude of tho Council is easily understood. It would like to erect baths, but the weight of its present undertakings will not permit it to indulge its inclination in this direction. Unfortunately this has been the condition of things for a rather long period now, and there seems no particular prospect of its being altered for a considerable time to come. If there were such prospect we should no doubt have heard something specific about it, whereas the Council ds altogether indefinite in its postponement of tho matter. This much is certain, that those who are working more or less publicly with a view to obtaining, baths for the city in the near future have tho support of a very strong public sentiment. The public has never had the least doubt as to the necessity for baths, and has looked forward to the timo when the reserve set aside years ago as a site for such should hold out something more, definitely useful than a remote prospect. Those interested in swimming are now- renewing their efforts to attain their end, and with a likelihood of achieving something, judging by the way they are going to work. It is true that the City Council has its hands pretty full, and wo can quite appreciate its reluctance to increase its indebtedness at present. Whilo we would on no account, however, desire to see the Council depart from its laudable present instincts for economy and prudence, we are satisfied that tho heed for baths centrally situated ought to be met, and wo are not perfectly satisfied tliatj tho Council has gone into the question as thoroughly as it might have done, or that it could not. undertake the erection of batSs with a clear conscience at the present time. The main question to be considered, we presume, is whether municipal baths could be made self-supporting or remunerative. We should think there is little doubt that they could. At all events a considerable amount of evidence in that direction has been adduced by the local branch of the Swimming Association, and the confident opinion expressed as to the financial soundness of the proposed undertaking by those who, like Mr J. A Park, have gone into the matter should cany weight. The cost of baths such as are desired lias been a, rather variable quantity as quoted on different occasions— apparently anything from £3000 to £7500, this last figure, however, being an estimate of £5000 for erection and £2500 for cost of land. It is suggested that the Council should raise a special loan of sufficient amount to cover all requirements, and if the case for remunerative or self-supporting baths is as good as it seems to be we do not think that the Council, after thorough investigation, need hesitate to consider the proposal favourably. A suggestion which a correspondent sends us as to a, method of supplying a central bath with heated sea wator appears to be at least worthy of the consideration of those who have interested themselves in matters of detail in this , connection. The lack of the centrally-situated swimming bath has been particularly felt this warm summer, and we hope something definite will ho the outcome of the present agitation. 'Die City Council may well reconsider its attitude, and at all events make somo effort to assist a large section of the public iu an excellent project.