THE PUBLIC BATHS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 204, 23 October 1900, Page 2

THE PUBLIC BATHS.

Hearing a rumour that the Borough Solicitor had stated that the Borough Council could not legally incur the necessary liability to lease the land and erect the proposed baths on Reserve £, ,a representative of this, journal waited j upon the Town Olerk and found that this was not the case. It appeared, however, that in the course of a conversation between the Borough Solicitor and the Town Olerk, the former expressed some opinion which the Town Olerk considered conveyed the impression that the Borough Council was not justified in incurring the expenditure proposed. On the Town Olerk mentioning this to His Worship the Mayor, the latter instructed the Town Olerk to write the Borough Solicitor and ask for his opinion on the power of the Council, and to call his attention to Clause 409 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1886. In reply, the Borough Solicitor holds that this gives the Borough Council full power to expend money in the manner suggested. It is expected that Reserve E will shortly be put up for sale by the Land Board, when the Council hope to get on with the erection of baths in time for the coming summer. Section 409, of the Municipal Cerporations Act, 1886, referred to above is as follows, and should set at rest any doubts which may exist as to the power of the Council The Council may provide and maintain public baths and vvashhouses either within or without the borough, and may purchase or otherwise provide all such land, buildings, appliances, and conveniences as are necessary to erable the inhabitants of the borough to use and enjoy such baths and washhouses, with or without any charge for the same, and under such regulations for the decent and orderly use thereof, as the Council by any by-laws in that behalf from time to time directs. And the Council: shall cause to be put up in every such bath or wa&hhouse a printed copy of the byelaws affecting the use thereof."