PUBLIC SWIMMING BATHS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14155, 6 March 1908, Page 8

PUBLIC SWIMMING BATHS.

/ ■ —«- A meeting of Iho Public Baths Com- . lmttec, which was altcndeJl by Me:«rs 0 ~ L. Dennision (chairman), Davidson' Park Gilkison, Tomlinson, M'Donald, Sibbald' and tho Hon. J. V,. Callan, was held at Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co.'s rooms yesterday afternoon. Or Sullivan was also present by invitation. Mr Sibbald, tho secretary, explained that in consequence of. some correspondeneo that liad appeared in the newspapers on tho subject of public bathe, it had been decided to write lo Cr M'Donald and they had now his replica ' Th-p one letter, dated February 7, was 'to the effect tfhat' he ■ would bring the matter before the Special Baths Committee and ask it to affirm the .prineiplo of oreeting the •baths in Moray place. The other, dated February 29, was that he and many other councillors were unanimous that the Moray .place site should bo adopted. ''The town clerk had promised that ho would have revised plans before them during the coming week, when he would ask the committee to recommend the council to conform tho Moray placo site, anil to push on tho building as soon as possible. He forwarded a letter from, the town clerk, m - which that gentleman stated that the rentals for 10 years up to 1907 from tho , battis reserves ..amounted to £1279 10s, less j £68 written off. c The Chairman said he had been disappointed when ..he read tho town clerk's report, because the baths he contemplated were much more expensive than the baths which they had in, view, and would hang ■up tho .project for a long time. He was alraid .it had had the effect of cooling tho ' enthusiasm of the council, and he thought t it was perhaps a pity the town clerk had gone in for a scheme so elaborate. - Or Gilkieon said that when plans and specifications for a public swimming bath, to be erected on tho Morav place site, ; camo before the council the objection had been raised that there was another or j other sites that should be considered. A t motion had been moved to set up a special committee- to go into the whole , question. Ho would impress upon tho J association the absolute necessity of being agreed upon the site'. As to waiting for a a destruotor, that would probably mean a delay of five or six years. In the meantime the special committee was awaiting , the report upon the cost. Thov had bad one roport, but the town clerk had been ! asked to report- further a 6 to baths costing less. Tho Chairman, referring to opinions expressed by Dr Colquhoun, said he did not think the opinion of one member. being different from'that of tho others should hang the ' matter up. Cr Sullivan: However, it was quoted. .' Cr M'Donald thought' they shoijld bo unanimous about tho site, and whether they wanted salt or fresh'water. ,' Mr Sibbald said they had salt-water baths, and wanted fresh-water baths— 'tepid. The Chairman: Are wo all agreed that Moray placo is the proper site? Mr Sibbald: Absolutely. Cr M'Donald said his vote would go for the Moray place site. Tho best plan to his mind was that by Mr Waldon. The Hon. Mr Callan thought the council should be informed that they were of opinion that the site should be the Moray place one. He moved that that opinion •previously held bo confirmed, and that public baths be erected upon it. He considered that it should be pointed out that they were an executive body, that had been elected at a meeting of the oitizens, and were of opinion that the baths should be . immediately erected on this site. Cr M'Donald said that .if the town clerk had no -plans' in by next Wednesday he was determined to move that the baths bo erected according 'to Mr Walden's plans. , Mr -Callan's motion- was carried,' and after the secretary had -read a letter from Palmerstori North that a movement was on'foot there to establish municipal swimming hafts, and asking for information j the meeting ended. .