MUNICIPAL BATHS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 763, 11 March 1910, Page 4

MUNICIPAL BATHS.

;I 1 V:EETtiMS^]vE^AE<D:EISE'"' . '■:-''. -.•.'■ ' i : THORNDON"GOESIBACK. In the'; course of a. casual-conversation Mr. Wilton, custodian' of' the Municipal Baths; at .Clyde ..Quay (Te Aro)^. informed a Dominion ,representative' that the present, season already constituted a record |for'th'e baths. This ho attributed to tho 'vast improvement; which had been effected by. walling the baths, in with a stout concreto wall, arid to the unusually fine and warm summer. This information, on tip of the groat development in snrf bathing at Lyallßay and elsewhere, indicates a. marked advance, in "-sea bath : ins as a rocreatibn. Information was Sought, from' the city treasurer (Mr. Collins) as to 'comparative returns from the two city baths;' '.Tip till March 8 last the receipts- from' bathing fees at the TeiAib-Baths'tffbr'thV.nnan-cial year) totalled £6H .95.. lid., or >El7O lfe.-lld. more than was'takerfMuririg'the year 1908-9 (J3473 155.). Even without tho receipts for tho remaining 23.'days of the year the amount easily constitutes a recordfoivthe baths, and: may'be. taken as itetinoation for th«!improvements ■.• that have, been, effected ..during, the past year OTltwo. ~';.' . - -fiiis-rv f.v' '...,-.';.-...: -lAvglance; at thof receipts ; f6r'the..last three yoars;will t sa'tisfy,.-.the public.that sea bathing'.in.the,Te:Ar6^BathsVis gaining in ; popularity,' each-year-..'. ,aro •,•..'. ■'•' li , ■'■•-.■■'-■ ■;;,'..;:.■.-": -;. '::".,■■ :-* -r :■.:■'■■":? a" s. d. '19073: / '-. v ,.'.i'.:....i.;:;...;;.i.:';;.'..':;' ..'454 o'o 1808-9 , ' '..;:....;..::v.;;....Ji:.;.„... 473 15 '0 1909-10'(up.to:,MarcK;8); :...:..);... :: m 9 11 ■ The best week for-cash; receipts, this year was'l)ecembei::7-l'i, when j£6l 15s. 9d.,was taken-at the"gates. This-does not equal the-best week in-'-1908-9 (February 2-9), when '£$! odd : was taken. :',..',:.

It is-/feared that ;tho. Thorndon: Baths are.-(loomed. \On the. south .side.the .Harbour Board is-slowly reclaiming...'a' his section of the-: harbour with silt pumped froin the bottom by ,thc,dreclge Whalrariri, and on-the northern, sido ..the Railway. Department"s.-reclamation .works: are in: progress'. With'these two worts in opera■tion at close quarters, there will ably bo more silting up than.would be .the.case if the adjacent'waters were not being. disturbed.- 'Some time in the: future -■the Harbour Board's '-'- reolo'm.ation may l join -up with the.Railway; Departments new. land"' won from/, the • sea. In that case it will:be'gOod-bye/indeed to the Thorndon .-Baths;v. Annually-these- hatha are .'losing - favour;"--Here are, the receipts for three' years ■■;■■'•.-'_ •■■■>/■•■■■,-•.. ' ;v.- .:-.>:.■ '-■'.■■ i-': s. d. ISO 7-8 v ....:......;.::;...;;:.•; ;.v.;- 234 0- 0 190 M ■:. ;;.:.:.;„,:;;;.:.-...:.,;...:;.;.....: 220 i 5 1909-10 (up. to March-8) ....;...,... ',181 '9 , 5 These, figures, "denote; at a'glance that THorndon. is;,not nearly', so; keen on saltwater/baths asis the.case on the other side, of/the..harbour;. ,To'; ; ;accou.nt .for that, in' part, .it must bo/conceded; that .the Clyde ijuay'.baths.occupy sunniest 'side.ahd .that they'are-larger and' betterequipped batn'sH'han .those which project from the. Thorndon;'Esplanade.