Hot springs to reopen

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 7

Hot springs to reopen

P A Hamilton The Matamata Hot Springs, which have caused the deaths of five persons over the last 11 years, will be reopened as horse and greyhound baths.

The springs, which are on the same resort as the pool where a sixth man contracted the deadly disease, amoebic meningitis, last year — the Moana Hi holiday and ' tourist resort I — will be reopened under I their old name, the Crys- | tai Springs. The resort was sold after the death of a Matamata building inspector, Mr R. Wormley, aged 31. last November, and will be known as Crystal Springs Park. j Theobald Farms, Ltd, the new owner, which bought the complex for an undisclosed sum, has spent 830.000 cleaning up the existing outdoor mineral pool and the indoor freshwater pool where Mr Wormley bathed ]0 days before his death. The Crystal Springs i themselves, which are on I a separate part of the proj perty, have been earthed in and inaccessible since 1971. They were initially closed in 1968 after the deaths of four youths from amoebic meningitis, ; but reopened by public de- < mand and after negative test results. However, tragedy hit \ the resort, which attracts i 100,000 visitors a year, I a fifth time in September,

1971. when a boy, aged 11. contracted the disease and died. The owner of the spa at that time, Mr C. J. Graham, voluntarily earthed in the springs again. The present owerns are dragging out the earth and preparing the springs for their first equine and canine customers. It is believed that the springs will provide the first mineral animal bathing facilities in New Zealand. The new manager, Mr M. Jamieson, said that animals would be strictly

controlled in the water by their trainers, and were not likely to put their

heads under. The chances of their contracting meningitis were slim. He said that the idea of converting the springs to

animal bathing facilities had been suggested by, and had the support of, the local racing industry. The show-jumping season was approaching and it would be beneficial for horses to bathe bumps and bruises in mineral waters. As well as the therapeutic benefits, bathing would

become a training aid in ' keeping animal muscles in tone. Mr Jamieson said that , the springs would not be ; accessible to the public, ; and warning notices would be on display. Summer business at the , public pools had been ; slack but was expected to ' improve, as the colder weather approached, he ; said. A new filter had been , installed in the indoor I pool, and chlorine levels , were under strict control.