TURNED DOWN AGAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 138, 20 March 1940, Page 5

TURNED DOWN AGAIN

OHOPE SWIMMING POOL -COUNTY COUNCIL'S DECISION Mr F. Mahy, of Ohope, who "has raised just on £200 for the purpose of erecting a children's "swimming pool at Ohope should be in no doubt as to the atti-* tude of the County Council his last letter to that body came under discussion. His communication requested the 'Council for the use of a portion of Its land at Ohope for the construotion of the pool providing he found the entire cost and was willing to find a further £24 per annum for its upkeep for two years. Ihe recommendation of the Works Committee was, that the Council should .adhere to its previous decision. In answer to Cr Burt's query as "to what that decision was, the Chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, said Council definitely could rv£t gfrant any assistance in the matter. Cr McGougan, while praising Mr Mahy's initiative, said that there /were many things in the way and he could not agree with the suggestion. Cr Burt: But he only wants the land now. The Chairman: That is so, but the 'Council may find iL difficult if it reserves the land for ;such a purpose. We may want it for an extension of the camping or picnicking ground. Cr McCreadv thought the Council should stretch a point and meet the suggestion. Here was a man .willing to find the money lo put a real asset to the beach. The least thing the Council could do was to gave it sympathetic consideration. Cr Smith: -But what of the maintenance? Cr McCreadv: He's offered you £25 for two years. (To the Kngi-, neer): How much do you think it would cost? Mr Brebner- About £400. Cr MeCready: That is the position. A man is willing to find £400 ■and it is not a fair go. Cr Burt: I think we should find some way of assisting him. Cr Lux ton: Personally I am very much against it. It is a case of one individual with a wildcat scheme, -who is trying to put a swimming bal;h on the extreme end of the County. In my opinion it should !be built where the County is most thickly populated—at a school for prefcrence. Cr MeCready: You might give this thing a reasonable hearing, you are not asked to do any more and you might at least tell Mr Mahy to desist from collecting if you refuse to help him. Cr McGougan thought it would ■cost the Council money; the better way would be to build the bath in town. Ohope did not seem to be the place. The chairman: There may be some way of the town co-operating with Mr Mahy. If he approached the Harbour Board and the Borough Council he might get somewhere. Cr McCracken felt that the Council Avas in the dark concerning a -number of things about the proposal. The water, for instance, he understood contained a large percentage of organic matter, which might become a future liability.! He hardly thought the Council at the present juncture should proceed. He regretted this course as he understood Mr Mahy had gone to considerable trouble. Cr Cawte pointed out that sooner or later all the water supply at ''Ohope would be needed to meet the demand of residents. A pool would therefore be an extra liability. The recommendation was adopted