The Sun MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1928. DANGER IN PUBLIC BATHS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 301, 12 March 1928, Page 8

The Sun MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1928. DANGER IN PUBLIC BATHS

THE latest demonstration of the exasperating inability of the Auckland City Council to run any public utility -well and in a manner to make it the pride of the community happens to be a disgusting one. It has been found necessary, following on an adverse report by the Medical Officer of Health, to close the Parnell swimming baths at Point Resolution.

The reasons for closure are such as to make the citizen's shudder: the baths are in a dirty state, the water from the Waitemata Harbour is impure, the intake is in an unsatisfactory condition, and the towels are neither boiled nor washed. That is the official indictment of the wretched place, entirely without a word of elaboration. It is necessary to emphasise that fact in order to spare the mercurial sensitiveness of local administrators under criticism. Peeved and timorous folk who for half a century have been encouraged by commentators to believe that nothing is ever wrong in this community, protest to us frequently that frank criticism about unemployment depresses the poor business man, that comment concerning municipal ineptitude imperils the city’s financial credit in the besieged loan market, and that a consistent lack of praise disheartens the veteran administrators, whose score of years in public service without benefit or pay ought surely to be a guarantee of wisdom and administrative efficiency.

So let it be noted carefully that the disagreeable condemnation of the Parnell baths has been made by a responsible officer of the Health Department. And those who know anything at all about Dr. Chesson and his good work as Medical Health Officer, realise that he is not an impulsive man or a busybody for ever seeking to cause trouble or even embarrassment for the civic authorities.

Twice within a month this conscientious and competent departmental officer has been compelled to strike hard blows at one of Auckland’s most popular pastimes—the wholesome, invigorating exercise of surfing off sunny beaches and swimming in salt-water baths. The first blow was a grave warning against the hidden danger in the form of infectious disease from contamination with sewage outfall and unspeakable pollution of popular beaches. And now, the second blow has proved a knock-out for the public swimming baths at Parnell. It would be silly for any layman to discuss the probable sources of the disgusting dangers that lurked in these baths—dangers which actually affected many bathers—but it is at least reasonable to assume that the filth in one part of the harbour has found access to another part. The Parks Committee of the City Council may be congratulated on its prompt decision to lock the stable door after the horse had been stolen, but it cannot be commended for the manner in which its leading members fenced with the questions of investigators. Their shilly-shally policy was typical of a stupid system of secrecy and evasiveness. Is not this the same committee which fought tooth and nail against private enterprise in the form of wholesome swimming baths at Point Chevalier?

There is little to be gained from scolding the City Council. As constituted, it is hopelessly beyond correction. It has been plain for years that, unless and until the old brigade of administrators has been dismissed, Auckland will continue to be deprived of the full benefit of the glorious advantages Nature intended it to enjoy.