BATHING AT TURUA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5091, 21 February 1927, Page 3

BATHING AT TURUA.

PROHIBITION MAY BE ENFORCED. ■ DAMAGE AT WHARF. People of Turua who are in the habit of bathing in the river, from the wharf or floating pontpon may at some time in the near future be surprised to find that there is a Harbour Board by-law prohibiting wharves being used for such purposes, and tihat it is the board’s intention to enforce it. This, i’f it eventuates, will have been rendered necessary by the action of certain persons in abusing the privileges allowed them by the wharfinger and of interfering with the board’s property in such a way as to permit damage to be done to the wharf and landing stage. As many 7 as forty people have been noticed bathing at the same time at the Turua wharf, and on- several occations goods stored in the wharfshed have been damaged by water from wet bathing costumes.

On the floating pontoon there are several heavy iron weights .used for stabilising it, and on many occasions these have been shifted to one corner for the purpose of holding down c. diving board. Were they put back in their proper places no harm would be done, but invariably they are left at one corner, with the result that the pontoon rises with the tide at an uneven level and the heavy ramp between the pontoon and the wharf slides to one side and fouls one p’f the hatchways. The ramp is likely to become strained and the hatchways broken, despite the watchfulness of the wharfinger, if the practice is allowed to continue. ’ The matter has been noticed by officials and members of the Harbour Board, and bathing from the wharf is liable to be prohibited unless mofe care of the board’s property is exercised in the future.