THE CORPORATION AND THE BATHS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 1 October 1880, Page 2

THE CORPORATION AND THE BATHS.

At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening, Messrs. H. Corinell and J. G. Finch attended as a deputation from the Directors , of the Baths to ascertain if the Council would gr&.nt cerr tain assistance, ~ : Mr, Qoiin'ei} sard, they had been deputed by the Direotors of the Baths Company- to let the: Council know the position of the Company. Besides having a heavy overdraft at the Bank, tliere was a number of outstanding liabilities to other persons. Arrangements could be made with the Bank, th,e directors desired to liqujdj\ts. t'fie other liabilities. At. of the it, }}ad been decided to leaso the baths for three years, and' it was thought that by adopting this course the baths would be better managed. What they had been deputed to ask of the Council was that it should grant the free use of gas for three years ; that it should give permission-to sub-lease the baths for' three years, as under the. pre§§nt agreement the 1 Company was powerless to .do so ; t.hf\t }t should give freah water fyee for three years j and that it should remit outstanding rates and grant a remission of rates for three years. Were the Council to agree to grant these concessions, the directors thought they might be able to liquidate their outstanding liabilities. It was out of the question, however, to hope that the shareholders would receive any dividend upon their shares, and . all. they desired to- do wr\s 'to pay o$ the liabilities qf Company, Mr. iPincU aaid that, in addition to the matters mentioned by Mr. Cotinell, they had been deputed to ask the Council to grant the use of, the Corporation, pile-; driver for'a few days. It was desired to carry out' the service pipe on piles, sb as to prevent its being clogged up; with shingle after every heavy sea, Tho Mayor said it would be(\gre<\t pityto see the bath? qlosod, for, though they might appear vary simple affairs,' they were usgured by travellers that there was nothing in tjie -Colony,,like the,,Qamaru baths. From his own personal observation ho'could say that thoro .vas nothing in cither Dunedin; Wellington,:or:ljyttelton to equal them, and it waa a,pity tho publio did not bpttfir support the baths. Ho tholight' tho Council ahould tnko tho request into its favorable consideration and do anything it could , to assist tho Kjiths Company, but lio thought tha directors wore somewhat tao in Kope I He<, regretted that the Council was not in d position to take over tho baths altogether. He, for one, would have been willing to'

hand over the whole of his interest in the baths to the Council for the benefit of the towy-, and he was sure that others would gladly do the same 'were the Council in a position to take the baths into its own hands. Councillor Headland remarked that the falling off in public patronage was due to the condition in which the baths had been kept. Had what was now proposed to be done been done at first, and the service pipe carried out upon piles, the baths could have been kept in a much better condition. Councillor Otterson said matters had now come to that pas 3 when the baths must be closed permanently if the Council did not come to the rescue. It would be a matter for regret to see the baths closed, and he therefore thought the.Council, in the interests of the public, should do all in its power to render assistance. Mr. Finch remarked that the Company was not asking the Council to give anything that would go into the pockets of shareholders. They simply desired to be j placed in a position to pay their creditors, He pointed out that the people of Dunedin would gladly give thoussnds of pounds for such baths as were in existence in Oamaru. , After some further discussion of a conversational nature, the deputation submitted their requests in writing, as fol- ( lows : : —" On behalf of the Bath Company we beg to request of the Municipal Council ; (1) Gas free of expense for three years from date, and remission of outstanding accounts ; (2) permission to sub-lease for three years from date ; (3)' fresh water free for three years from date; (4) remission of rates outstanding and for three years from date; (5) loan of pile driver for say 21 days.—Henry Connell, J. G. Finqh." On the motion of Councillor Headland, seoonded by Councillor de Lautour, it was resolved, "That the request be acceded to, provided the gas be used only during the bathing season." The deputation thanked the Council, and withdrew,.