TOURIST DEPARTMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 348, 8 October 1932, Page 3

TOURIST DEPARTMENT

WORK IN BOROUGH DISTjRICT MANAGER'S ANNUAL SURVEY OF YEAR'S OPERATIONS. POPULARITY OF BATHS. The report of the district manager of the Tourist Department at Rotorua (Mr. L. J. Balfeild), included in the appendices to the annual report Of the department, which was tabled in the House of Rejresentatives this week, states: — • "Buildings.— C-The outstanding feature in so far as buildings are eoncerned is the completion of the juvenile portion of the new Blue Bath. This building is a reinforeed-concrete structure, 88ft long by 73ft wide, with a pergola 22ft deep extending from the southern end. The swim-ming-pool, which is to be finished with ' Stourhridge' glazed fireclay blicks and til'es, is 70ft long and 36ft wide, with a depth varying from 2ft 6in to 4ft 6in, and a capacity of 70,000 gallons. Surrounding the pool is a 7ft wide floor, in concrete grained plaster, finished and corrugated to prevent slippping. The exterior of the building is finished in "textured vplaster," and is designed to give the appearance of old concrete. The lighting of the accommodation sections is of the ordinary type, but the bath' itself is flood-lighted from the roofs, balcony, and pergola. "In the large pool, excavations and reinforcing are now complete. It is hoped to have at least the bath portion of the main building complete before next season.

"The old Duchess bath building has now been completely fit'ted up as the departmental store, housing approximately £6000 worth of stores, varying from copper cable for the electrical section to bath-towels for the baths, and including a special verminproof compartment for foodstuffs, etc. "The new store, tool-shed, stable, 'etc., in the kitchen-garden has been completed, and is a big improvement on the various 'tumbledown' buildings previously existing at different points in the Sanatorium grounds. "The matter of the general appearance of the departmental buildings mentioned in my last report has been almost completely remedied in that all buildings, with the exception of the tea-house, have been painted and despite the age of some of them they are now, I think, in reasonably good condition. "Electrical Section. — Although in some directions there have been reduced demands for electrical supp'ly, there have been increased demands for other purposes, and, as a result we have had a busy year, and have carried out a number of extensions, hesides reeonstructing a number of the older lines to keep pace with the heavier loadings. As a result of the increase of load, the single 6600-volt 3-phase circuit from Ngongotaha is now not large enough to carry economically the whole load required in Rotorua, and arrangements had to be , made to duplicate it. One mile of this line was built on new poles and along a different route to the existing line, but the balance, four and a half miles, is erected on the same poles as the old lines. It has been a | difficult piece of worlc and by careful organising it has been possibl'e to do it with the minimum of inconvenience to consumers. "The Okere plant has been operated continuously during the year to reduce our demand on the Public Works Department while Arapuni was out bf ! commission. | "The necessary repairs have been carried out to keep the plant in a reasonable state of repair, and it should still be a useful standby for . some years to come. "The Diesel plant was also operated five hours a day and six days a week for the first six months of the year to reduce our demand on the Public Works Department. When the new generator-sdt was installed in Auckland the Public Works Department no longer required us to operate the Diesel. "New consumers: Light 64, heat 45, ranges 28; extensions, light 74, heat 43', motors 26. Total new con- ( nected load for year 262.9 kw; maximum load for year, 639 kv.a., 7.30 p.m., March 26, 1932. "Water and Drainage Section. — During th'e year thirty-five new consumers were connected with the water-mains. The following pipelines were laid in various streets to provide for extensions and new connections: 2100ft of lin, 60ft of Sin, and 1286ft of £in. The 4in cast-iron main in Sophia Street was extended to the length of 200ft in order to provide consumers on the higher levels with a better pressure. "At the request of the Fire Board, 2300ft of 4in cast-iron main fitted with eight fire plugs was put in in Ti Street and Wairoa Road at a cost of £398. "An electrically operated automatic pumping-plant was installed at Utuhina Bridge to boost the pressure to consumers on the higher levels during the summer months.

"iReserves. — The bowling, tennis, and croquet lawns have been well ! patronised during the year. As a matter of fact, the fees received from this avenue show an increase of £64 18s lOd. This fact, considering th'e times were are passing through, shows that these facilities have lost nothing in popularity with. the general public. The past summer has been one of the driest experienced for years, and consequently during the last two months, the ends of the greens sh'owed signs of being the worse for wear. At present two of the bowling-greens are being piartly returfed, and should, -therefore, stand up to next season's play better than they have this year. The hard tenniscourfc l^as been top-dres'sed during the year. The ground formerly used as a small croquet-lawn is now being redug and laid down as a. new green for winter bowling and summer croquet. "The various reserves have been well looked after, and the following gives a short description of what has . been done: — "Model Pa and Whaka Reserve. — All tracks, including that to the Trig I Station, have been overhauled and are i in good order. The model pa has j been kept clean and in as good a state of repair as possible, without spending any appreciable sum of money on materials. New signs have been erected and others repainted throughout the reserve. "Kuirau Reserve. — During the year •a scheme was started to divert the boiling water which flows alongside the road from the Kuirau spring. Borough employees entered the reserve and but a drain without permission of th'e dep'artment. The scheme has now been abandoned, and the Borough Council intends repairing

the damage done to the reserve. The actual Kuirau spring maintains its usual level, and some day will undoubtedly be of value as a source of h'ot-water supply for baths, etc. "Sanatorium Reserve: Golf Links. — By the time next year comes round I hope to have a good nine-hole golfcourse,^ despite the fact that the department has been unable to grant any money for the construction of same. A month ago I mapped out the nine holes and the fairways are now cut and temporary greens placed. "Sanatorium and Baths. — I attach the usual report from the Government Balneologist in connection with' these two institutions. It is satisfactory to note the increased revenue derived from the baths for the year. From a business point of view every effort has been made to popularise the baths, both with the local people and visitors, and (I look forward to a continued increase in revenue with th'e completion of the new Blue bath building." Balneologists Report. "Following in the wake of the general financial depression throughout the Dominion, our recipts from the Sanatorium and certain departments of our spa establishment show a considerable falling-off — this mainly in the Sanatorium and out-patients' fees. The bath fees, on the other hand, are markedly increased. The popularity of the baths, mainly in the recreational pools, is no doubt due to the improved facilities for bathing and the attractiveness of our new buildings. The Ward baths have attracted many bathers and the new Blue swim-ming-pool, providing facilities for mixed bathing, has been popular to .the extreme limit of its resources. "The falling-off in the revenue from the Sanatorium, apart from the widespread necessity for individual economy, has, to a degree, been influeneed by the various hospitals boards cutting down their guarnatees of pa- ! tients' fees, and the medical practi- ! tioners cons'erving their treatment of rheumatic patients at home. I "The Sanatorium. — Throughout the year the institution has been maintained to the limit of its efficiency and the buildings both within and without, have been painted and riepaired. "Aproximately ten thousand baths ; and nine thousand special treatments ! were given, and the results have been 'entirely satisfactory. "The Main Bathhouse. — The more urgent repairs to the building have been carried out, and the whole of 1 the outside of the building painted. No new constructional alterations have been added. ; "Massage and Physiotherapy. — These departments have been maintained to th'e highest degree of efficiency and the new pyretic-couch treatments have proved a boon to many of our patients. "Staff. — During the past year there has been a radical overhaui of our entire staff, which has been considerably redueed. However, they have cheerfully risen to the increased hours and duties, and loyally carried out their s'ervices to the department. "Summary. — Despite depression and restrictions in individual finance, Rotorua h'as been probably the most popular holiday place of the Dominion this year, and there is no doubt that the new baths have been important factors in attracting visitors to our spa. "The new Blue bath, with its facilities for communal bathing, has been particularly popular, and I am assured that when the whole scheme is completed it will be the social rendezvous of the township."