TEPID BATHS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 126, 25 February 1928, Page 10

TEPID BATHS

SITUATION REVIEWED PROPOSAL FOR SHAG POINT (By H.P.) Wellington people do not usually think of tenid baths in mid-summer, and it surprised not a few to learn that a Civic League deputation had approached the Reserves Committee on the subject of providing the long-defer-red tepid baths. In the big loan of 1920 over £26,000 was set down for new baths at Thorndon (to replace those demolished at the old Thorndon Esplanade) and _to erect tepid salt water baths and Turkish baths. In the eight years that have passed since then the City Council has erected the Thorndon baths (off Murphy Street), but, owing perhaps to a difference over the site, has been inclined to tarry over the tepid, salt water baths proposition. The original proposal, when such baths were mooted, was that they should be erected on the site of the Mercer Street powerhouse and that the boilers in the station should be used to keep up the supply of hot salt water, an idea which seemed quite feasible ten years ago, but which has been knocked out of consideration by reason of the fact that the fires are still being stoked under the boilers in Mercer Street, and also because later Mayors than Sir John Luke have held the opinion that the site in Mercer Street was much, too valuable to be used for tepid and Turkish baths.

As an alternative, it was later suggested by the city engineer (the late Mr. W. H. Morton) that perhaps a site could be found for such baths within the boundaries of the Corporation ■Yards at Clvde Quay, where the bath could be supplied from the waste, water from the drainage pumping station in the same block. just as the Mercer Street site was approved by one council, the Corporation Yard site was approved by another, but further than that '’the matter of providing a tepid bath has not progressed noticeably. Certainly the council has approved of a certain lay-out for this block, and in that connection has provided space enough for the proposed bath house in contiguity to the drainage pumping station. There is available for this work the sum of £13,286, which, according to the chairman of the Public Works Committee (Councillor H. . D. Bennett), may not prove to be sufficient for the whole scheme as orgiually intended, but might be expended on an essential portion of it, perhaps the bath itself, leaving aside for the present the provision of Turkish and plunge baths. The mention of the Corporation yard site opens up a larger question—as to whether this area of land should be used for any buildings of a permanent character, in view of the oft-expressed idea of turning it into some kind of reserve which would serve as an entrance to that splendid marine parade represented in Clyde Quay and Oriental Parade. ■ At present the site is used for the destruction of rubbish—or its partial destruction—as a yard for the dust carts, stables, and a Corporation motor garage, purposes that are distinctly utilitarian and non-aesthetic. Whether such a state of things should be allowed to continue is a matter for the people, but the erection of baths there means the retention of the pumping station, and that almost entails the retention of the destructor, as the latter convenience supplies the drainage machinery with heated water. On the other hand, the site is central—it is contiguous to a great tramway junction and is close to the harbour (which must be looked to for its supply of salt water). Whilst such a site might serve the city proper, there is another area of Greater Wellington which will cry out for similar conveniences in the near future. The reference is to South Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, Miramar, and Seatoun, and it may not be such a difficult thing to attend to that call. At the present time, and as long as the Evans Bay power station is working, tons of hot salt water are being poured away into Evans Bay. The volume is such that people bathing near the outflow already have tepid water at their disposal. If this supply were diverted into a container or bath of some kind, which the lay of the land lends itself to, a tepid bath would be created at no very great expense. This water is sucked up from the harbour, goes through the boilers, and is ejected at a temperature of over 100 deg. Fahr., so that it is perfectly clean and fit for use for the purpose named. Indeed, this proposition is so inviting that it may be given effect to before tepid baths are provided in the city.