BLUE BATH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 103, 22 December 1931, Page 5

BLUE BATH

opening night TRIBUTE TO FORESICHT OF LATE SIR JOSEPH WARD STRIKING SPECTACLE Residents of Rotorua ohviously appreciated the open invitation extended them by the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts to be present at the official. opening of the new Blue Bath last evening. When the doors of the building were thrown open, all standing space was quickly filled until any further congestion would have had to be relieyed by using the bath itself. Possibly appreciating this fact, the speakers were bripf in their remarks and two seconds after the official portion of the opening had concluded, the first swimmer was in the water. Under the powerful floodlighting, the blue water, with the terra-eotta walls of the building in the background, made a striking scene and onewhich will undoubtedly contribute greatly towards the popularity of the bath. Introducing the Mayor (Mr. T. Jackson), who performed the official opening, the Government Balneologist, Dr. J. D. C. Duncan, paid a warm tribute to the work of the PublicWorks Department in pushing forward the building in order that the bath should he ready for the Christmas period. "Judging by tonight," said the doctor, "it looks as though it will not be a bath but a sardine tin, but we hope that when all the pools arq completed, we shp.Il have room for all the world and his wife — for that is the idea of the mixed bathing. We" Jope to make this the Mecca of Rotorua." Debt of Cratitude "It gives we very great pleasure to be afforded the privilege of opening this, the first stage of what we hope will be the finest swimming bath system in the North Island and perhaps in the Southern Hemisphere," said His Worship, who referred to the debt of gratitude which the people of Rotorua owed to the men who had conceived and carried out the project. In this connection, Mr. Jackson paid a warm tribute to the shrewd foresight and vision of the late Sir Joseph Ward, whose interest and enthusiasmi had done so much for Rotorua. "There can be no doubt that' the lafe Sir Joseph Ward realised to the full the wonderful potentialities of Rotorua and whatever it was in his power to do for Rotorua, he did," stated Mr: Jackson amid applause. His Worship also referred to Dr. Duncan whom he described as the "brains behind the scheme." Dr. Duncan had realised the tremendous possibilities to Rotorua when Sir Joseph Ward was returned as Prime Minister and it was largely as a result of his vision and energy that Rotorua had ffitained its Blue Bath. "Splendid as this bath is, and remarkable achievement that it is in a comparatively short period, it is nothing to what it will be in the course of time. I have received assurances from Ministers of the Crown that no matter what Government may be in power this scheme will be completed," said Mr. Jackson. In conclusion, his Worship referred to the energy which had been displayed by the district manager of the Tourist Department, Mr. L. J. Bayfeild, in having the work put through. Rotorua was fortunate in having the serviees of Mr. Bayfeild as a successor to Mr. Hill and to him must go a great deal of credit for the completion of the bath in such record time. Within a few minutes of the baths being thrown open over 200 swimmers were in the water.