BLUE BATHS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 72, 16 November 1931, Page 4

BLUE BATHS

Rotorua has waited long, if not always patiently, for the fulfiment of the late Sir Joseph Ward's promise to provide bathing accomodation worthy of its importance as a tourist and health resort. For many years past the inadequacy, judged by modern standards, of the provision made for the tourists and holiday makers in this respect has been a reproach to the Dominion ih view of the clainis made by it as one of the world's most attractive playgrounds. The scheme devised under Sir Joseph Ward's guidance was designed to remove this reproach and naturally Rotorua was looked forward to its realisation with some inipatience. While Sir Joseph Ward remained at the head of the Government the work was pushed ahead with encouraging despatch, but since ' his retirement and death d'elay has followed delay with disappointing regularity. But if there have been delays, there has also been progress, for which, ih these tjmes, Rotorua shduld perhaps be duly grateful. The new Ward Baths have been completed for some months and their - popularity with Winter visitors and residents has been such as to leave no doubts as to their revenue-earning capacity in the future. Now, after many disappointments, the first -section of the new Blue Baths, an altogether more important and imposing project from the tourist point of view, is on the eve of being opened to the public. The complete plans provide for a fullsized swimming bath and a smaller bath for juveniles, both housed in an attractively designed building which will also contain a luxuriously fufnished social lounge and a fully equippecl tea-room. As the larger bath will be suitable for the holding of championship swimming carnivals and the lounge and tea-room are situated in the same part of the building, it was hoped that this would be the first part of the undertaking to be completed. The responsible authorities, however, for some inscrutable reason of their own, decided to proceed first with the smaller bath, which is situated in a wing at the back of the main building and it is this which is now approaching completion. Among the attractions to be offered by the main bath is mixed bathing, for which facilities have not hitherto been made available at any of the Government baths, clespite their obvious value as an attraction. Although official swimming carnivals will not be possible in the smaller bath, provision is apparently to be macle for mixed- bathing uritil such time as the other bath is completed and for this the Department will earn the congratulations of visitors and residents alike, not to mention something far more tangible," namely, a greatly increased revenue. Indeed, it is likely that the financial results will be such as will encourage the Govfernment to ensur.e that the whole Blue Bath scheme is conpleted with reasonable despatch.-