CITY BATHS INQUIRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 281, 17 February 1928, Page 1

CITY BATHS INQUIRY

Council To Investigate CHARGES AND CONDITIONS OUTSPOKEN criticism of the hours and general conditions at the baths controlled by the City Council, which has lately been given prominence in THE SUN, will have at least one effect—the Parks Committee of the council will now thoroughly investigate the whole of the admission charges and conditions at the three baths concerned—Hobson Street, Parnell and Shelly Beach.

rjHHIS information was given to The Sun this morning by the town clerk, Mr. J. S. Brigham, in response to the following letter from “Swimmer,” addressed to the editor, and submitted to the town clerk for comment:— Sir,— A recent letter in The Sun signed “Constant Reader” gave reasons why the Shelly Beach baths are not paying. I would like to support him, if I mav, but in doing so I wish to go a little deeper into the question of management than he does. Whv is it that Ponsonby and Parnell baths are run on different lines to the tepid baths? At the two former places the care and management is left to one man and his family, who get a small wage, but are permitted to retain the monev gained from the hire of towels and trunks. The least said about the towels the better. Some of them are full of holes, many are threadbare, while others are scarcely bigger than handkerchiefs. More often than not they are stiff with the salt water, clearly showing that they have not* been boiled or even washed in fresh water. Perhaps the Public Health Department will look into this question? I quite realise that this state of affairs is no fault of the attendants, as they have to work hard and through long hours, and I do not envy them their positions. EXTRA ATTENDANTS I think that if regular visits were made by the representatives of the Parks Committee, at least one extra attendant would be recommended at each of the two baths. At Parnell there is no woman assistant at all. Now we come to the tepid baths, where the upkeep must be tremendous. Is the machinery now installed there a success? I say no. The water, it seems to me, is worse than it ever was. One can see dirt on the bottom of the baths when the water is still. Then, look at the number of attendants who can be paraded here-L about six times as many as at Parnell and Ponsonby. There are many reasons for complaint in regard to our city baths. Perhaps the town clerk may tell us why the women's bath at the “Teps” is provided with free hot showers, the same as other baths in New Zealand, but the men have to pay sixpence for their hot shower, which is kept under lock and key? Surely anyone paying for admittance to the baths is entitled to this privilege? Another thing that would interest the public of Auckland would be to see an independent balance sheet and statement of account for each bath, and not for all the baths en bloc. SWIMMER. “WILL GO BEFORE COMMITTEE" “The towels are the property of the caretakers at Parnell and Shelly Beach,”* stated Mr. Brigham, “and this- question has already been referred to the Parks Committee.” The council was apparently not

aware that the condition of the tepid baths was not all that could be desired, and this matter will also be brought before the committee at its next meeting, together with the scale of charges for use of hot showers. The management is inclined to the view that men abuse the privilege of the use of hot water. “The present conditions are much better than those before the new cleaning machinery was put in at the tepid baths,” stated Mr. Brigham, “and we can probably remedy any small defects.” BATH FINANCES Separate accounts are kept for che three baths, and these were shown to The Sun this morning. The latest available, of) course, are those for the financial year ending on March 31 last, and the approximate figures are as follow: Parnell: Income, £3OO 10s Id: expenditure, £491 10s 9d. In addition, the provision of the children’s area cost £424, and this year the capital account will be Increased by some £1,200 for the concreting of the bed. Of the £491 expenditure, £2BO was for salaries and wages. Shelly Beach: Income, £293; expenditure, £656. This expenditure included £164 for repairs and improvements, and the salary list accounted for £371. Hobson Street Tepid: Income, £2,886 15s sd; expenditure, exclusive of interest and sinking fund on capital account, £4,648. In addition, last year £1,209 was spent in improvements and new equipment. The salary list was approximately £1,600. NOT FAIR Councillor J. B. Paterson, actingchairman of the Parks Committee, states that he does not think the Parks Committee has been treated quite fairly in the agitation for longer hours at the baths. He finds that the baths are open most of the week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and that even with these hours there are people who “crib” a little more time. EXTRAORDINARY HOURS One of the discoveries he made was that the caretaker at Parnell is working no fewer than 87 hours weekly, which he states “is not a bad week for one man.” Seeing that most bodies, from the Arbitration Court downward, consider 48 hours a fair week’s work, it can be expected that the baths committee will include this aspect among the things to he inquired into. It is anticipated that the baths estimates for the coming year will see a demand for financial assistance that will enable better conditions to be provided next summer.