TEPID BATHS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1968, 27 January 1914, Page 6

TEPID BATHS.

DISCUSSION AT THE CITY; COUNCIL. A REPORT WANTED. '/ . Some timo ago tho City Council decided ill favour of a.'scheme for the bunding of.topid baths in Wellington, and to that end instructed the engineer to prepare a report as to.the probable cost,. In the meantime the Boys' institute put forward a . proposal that they build in their now premises in Arthur Street a public tepid bath. For this the council agreed to give water free for eight, months of tho voar, and in consideration of this eonce'ssion tho council specified the charges to bo made Last night tho Baths Committeo reported to tiio conm'il as follows:— "That no further action be taken in the mearitmie to obtain a report from the City Engineer oil tho question of municipal tepid baths, in view of tho proposal of the Boys' Institute to erect tepid baths in Arthur Street." Councillor Fuller moved an amendment to the effect that tho council do take action at once to havo a report prepared regarding tho building of tepid baths. In Christ-church tho tepid baths wero a big success, and tliey did not cost the ratepayers anything. In Wellington such baths were very desirable, almost, a necessity. ' Councillor C. A. Hislop seconded the amendment, which was supported by Councillors Fletcher, Godber, and Tregear. ■

Councillor Frost said he was quite wdling that the report should bo back to the committee.

Councillor Barber eaid tho position was that the Boys', Institute were going to try the experiment- for tho council, under conditions by which tho council kept a measure of control, and if the experiment was a success, the council could then go ou with a scieme which would entail fairly heavy expenditure. He would not oppose the carrying out of a tepid bath scheme if tho council desired it.

Councillor Fitzgerald said tho council had already decided in favour of tho construction of tepid baths, and tho committee had 110 right to set at nought that decision.

Councillor Wright said circumstances had cropped up which had in the opinion of the committeo mado it desirable that au alternative scheme should be suggested. There would be_ under the alternative scheme one tepid bath in Wellington, and the. City could certainly not run two. And tho fact was that tepid baths all over tho world wero losing money. The desire of the committee was to save the City the expense of having au elaborate report prepared until tho scheme of the Boys' Institute had had a trial.

Councillor Luckio said he had always been in favour of tho building of tepid baths in Wellington, but lto was not opposed to allowing tho Boys' Institute to mako an experiment by which the City .might later be guided. _ While other people were experimenting on tepid baths it would bo foil?; for the council to experiment on their own account. If baths could be run as a reasonable venture, he- would bo in favour of the council incurring tho necessary, expenditure.

The clause was referred back to the committee,