Judea adopts an american Idea

Te Ao Hou, Winter 1952, Page 11

Judea adopts an american Idea Judea adopto an american Idea Above: Judea Community Baths (near Tauranga) The Maori Affairs Department architect has studied the plans used for the Judea Communal Baths and drawn an almost identical but perhaps more streamlined plan for the guidance of other groups who might be interested. External finish in this plan is plaster on netting, and the floor throughout is concrete. Judea has, or almost has, its own community baths. Community baths are not known in New Zealand; people are wealthier than in most places abroad and can afford their own baths. But there are still many old houses which cannot be renewed in a hurry still dating from the time when baths and privies were less general. The problem is, how can one live a modern life in such houses. A lady from Judea who visited Salt Lake City has provided an answer. Writing home, she told about the community baths that are found in America. They are building public lavatories, showers, sometimes baths, and pools for the children to play in. Everybody in the community contributes to their upkeep and so, instead of having to go to the expense of each person installing his own plumbing and drainage in houses that are perhaps very old and cannot be rebuilt very soon, people enjoy the same advantages cheaply. The photo will show what the Judea baths look like and the plan, drawn by the Maori Affairs Department's architect, is almost the same as the one used in Judea. Although of course with the building of modern dwellings such baths may later become unnecessary, at present they should be looked upon as a praiseworthy initiative that will solve a difficult problem. It is to be hoped that Judea will soon instal a boiler and get the baths working so that we may learn how the plan works out in practice.