15

H.—2

(c.) Improvements suggested in Former Portion of this Report (see section 1. "Works completed during year "). —I beg to recommend that the following improvements (incidentally referred to when dealing with the buildings) be undertaken, viz.:— £ a. d. 1. No. 6 Bath—Extension of shower partition ... ... ... 0 7 6 2. No. 2 Bath— „ ... ... ... 0 10 0 3. No. 1 Bath —Lining concrete bath with wood ... ... ... 15 0 0 4. "Octagon"—-Fountain-fittings and improved seats ... ... 20 10 0 36 7 6 id.) Vapour Bath. —From the hot-water tunnel a constant supply of steam is emitted, and it has been suggested that this, instead of being allowed to run to waste, could be easily utilised in the formation of a hot vapour bath, in the same manner as the hot vapour is caught and utilised over the fumaroles at Botorua. Such would form a very useful bath, and in addition be a further means of revenue, at a comparatively small outlay. The estimated cost of erecting this is £100. (e.) Painting Existing Buildings. —The exterior of the " Cadinan " (private) Bath building, No. 6 Bath building, and the band rotunda urgently require to be painted; as all these must suffer serious deterioration if they are not quickly painted. I beg to recommend that this work be done. The estimated cost is :— £ s. a. " Cadman" building and roof, two coats ... ... ... 45 0 0 No. 6 Bath „ „ „ ... ... ... ... 15 0 0 Band rotunda „ „ ... ... ... ... 8 0 0 68 0 0 (f.) Removal of Old Building (No. 3). —I strongly recommend the removal of an old bath building styled No. 3. It has long been out of use, and, being in a more or less dilapidated condition, is only an eyesore in the beautiful and picturesque Domain grounds. (g.) Formation of Grass Tennis-court. —Last month a number of visitors interviewed me, and begged for the formation of a grass tennis-court, stating that the existing asphalt courts were too hard for invalids to play on. Their contention seems a reasonable one, and as the work could be carried out by my own staff, with little expense to the Department, I beg to recommend that this court be formed. (h.) Douche Baths. —In last year's annual report, Dr. Wohlmann, when reporting on the health resorts of the Continent, makes special mention of the douche as one of the most important modes of the application of water in the treatment of disease. The douche is practically water in motion. It may be at any temperature. In the Aix douche, this water is made to travel at a high velocity, which means that the water is put under very considerable pressure, and for its application requires skilled assistance. On account of the very limited number of cases that visit Te Aroha requiring the Aix or other special douches, I am not inclined at present to recommend the instalment of a very expensive plant in this respect; not at any rate till the need arises. At Te Aroha we have at present only one, an apology for a douche. I am strongly of opinion that two simple and effective douches, one for males and one for females—ones that could be self-applied, similar to the Spout Bath at Whakarewarewa, or other simple douches at Botorua —would be powerful instruments for good in my hands, and in the light of past experience would be most popular baths. These simple douches, however, could not be installed at Te Aroha until we secure a far larger supply of hot water than is at present available. (Estimated cost of construction of the two rooms, £84 10s.) (i.) Electric Light and Tallerman Baths. —If Te Aroha had the advantage of an electric installation I would certainly have recommended the introduction of one of each of the above two baths, but, being without a supply of electricity, consideration of these must be deferred pending the establishment in Te Aroha of this great modern power. (j.) Prospecting for Hot Mineral-ivater. —The last, but far and away the most important, recommendation I have to make is that of prospecting for an adequate supply of hot water. The result of testing the yield of our three sources of hot water is as follows : — Gallons per Hour. No. 1 Beservoir spring ... ... ... ... ... ... 160 No. 2 Reservoir spring ... ... ... ... ... ... 480 Hot-water tunnel spring ... ... ... ... ... ... 60 700 Equal to 16,800 gallons every twenty-four hours. Add to this a stored amount in the reservoirs of 14,781 gallons, and we have 31,581 gallons as the total amount of our hot-water supply. I find that 57 gallons are required for each private bath at a temperature of 100° Fahr., and 59 gallons at a temperature of 102° Fahr.—that is, with cold water at its present temperature. This would give in the first instance 554 baths, and in the second 534 baths. But it must not be forgotten that the public baths Nos. 2 and 6, and the douche, receive a very large, almost their sole, supply from the sources mentioned. These, together with the inevitable waste caused by the general public when taking private baths, so far reduces the amount available for them that I regret to state that on certain holidays, notably Christmas and Easter, when there has been a rush I have been obliged to shut down the private baths late in the afternoon.