CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13857, 21 March 1907, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED

" Arawata," writing on the public batlw question, considers that Dr Colqnhoun's. suggestion of the Oval as one of a scries of suitable sites for tho baths " can scarcely be entertained oil account of tho difficulty —not to say ail unsurmountabls one—to gct/U. proper foundation and backing for tho' side walls, on account of the mixed material recently filled in. The Market reserve, if sudiciont space is procurable, would make an ideal site; so would that at tho rear of tho Town Hall, now used as a lumber yard, which wants clearing up badly-so much so that a stranger would take it to hs a 'yard occupied by a .secondhand dealer. Why not have a swimming bath attached to tho winter gardens for tho benefit or the 'poor mail' wc have lately heard so much about? It would, according- to Cr Burnett—theoretically speaking,—bo a great draw, without the aid of dead-heads to swell tho traimvay. receipts. Crowds of people could visit, tho duck pond iu tho Gardens, to note the sportive antics of the ducks and the graceful movements of the swans, and with tho adjunct of a swimming bath visitors could watch with interest tho biological study of the different, shapes and sizes of'the human form divine." A correspondent, who has omitted to attach a signature to his letter, asks when the Drainage Board is going to let everyono know bow far it agrees 01; differs with Mr Cardcw's proposals. It is only fair that, before ii; carried out any of his recommendations it should - give some definite pronouncement on the matters, io save future trouble. There has been far too mueji hiding from the press and ratepayers of what is-going on, and it is time they openly discussed the situation, awl had less of the comniitteo-of-fhc-whole-board business. He says that: reference to Johannesburg having adopted the Liornur system should causa ,i he board to pause before it spends thousands in outfalls and new rising mains. It is very strange if the Uernur system, which was first brought under tho n'otico of the British public in the later sixties has not- been more, extensively adopted than it has, if it were otherwise than "an expensive and eostlv toy." as a committee of exports of tho Local Governmont, Board of Great Britain termed it. ]t is time the ratepayers were roused up to the doings of this body. •'Aberdeen" ihinks the. announcement in our London correspondent's letter thai: 20,000 cases and 1000 casks of whisky have been shipped from the Clyde by the Morayshire to' the colony, will come with a big surpriso to lhe Temperance party, and also to those who live in prohibition districts, i It. clearly shows that the, bulk of drinkers ' are not yet ripe to give up tho habit, of

enjoying a glass oE Scotland's favonrito beverage. As each ease contains 2gal, „an» 1 ia valuc<l wholesale at. say, 48s, and a contains 28gal, or equal to £35, it. gees to show that a groat amount, of money goes out of tho colony—minus tho dntv of 16s proof gallon. Mr Nicholls will perhaps bo ablo to propound an explanation of such a large shipment of whisky in one vessel.