THE Bay of Plenty Times. Wednesday, November 24, 1875.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 335, 24 November 1875, Page 3

THE Bay of Plenty Times.

Wednesday, November 24, 1875.

"THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES SHALL TEACH ME SPEED." KING JOHN, ACT IV.

The Waikato Times is determined to lejivn no .stone unturned in tlio endeavour to induce visitors to the Lake Districts to also visit the Waikato District. During the last few weeks wo have road and smiled over more than one article in the Waikato limes, in which an attempt has been made to argue that the natural route to the Hot Springs and Terraces is via Cambridge; and the strongest argument in favor of this theory that has yet boon brought to hoar, is the statement that it is easier to ride ninety miles over an unknown country, encumbered with a guide and pack-horse, than it to travel forty miles in a coach behind, four good* horses. This argument may not strike everybody so forcibly as it appears to have done the writer ol'i lie articles in the Waikato Times, but tons, certainly, it ia a clincher. Knowing the proclivities of at least one of the contributors to the Waikato Timm, wo had at first thought the articles referred to were born of a harmless desire to toady to some possible lordlings or celebrities, who, not having sons) enough to judge for themselves, might thus bo induced to visit the Lakes via the Waikato; and wo had not intended to notice 1 them, but, in the Waikato Times of the 18th instant, there is a loading article so utterly ridiculous that we cannot pass it by without notice. The article in question congratulates the Waikato settlers on the near prospect of having the road from Cambridge to Taupo opened through the efforts of a deputation who waited on the Premier,, and of course does not lose the opportunity of drawing attention to the route to the Lakes. In the very first paragraph of this article the writer displays the most astounding ignorance: ho says the road will lie formed at least as far ns Niho o fe Wore. Must wo toll him that from Niho o to Kioro there is a coach road both to Taupo and to Tauranga! The article proceeds with some twaddle about iron rails and native produce, &c.; and thou the ignorance gets yet more sublime, and wo are told that ‘‘the sixty miles asked for, leaving Cambridge for the To Whotu, and crossing the llorolioro Eange, would strike the Tauranga and Taupo Road about twelve miles above Ohinemutu; and when the Colonial Secretary intimated the probable intention of the Government to construct the road as far as the Niho o to Kioro baidgo he virtually promised all that was asked for, and oven something more. The bridge in question, or rather (what is perhaps meant) the crossing known as the Atiamuri, &c.” Why what can all this mean ? Is there to bo a road over the perpendicular cliffs of Horohoro ? Is it to go within twelve miles of Oliinemutii and then go hack to Atiamuri? Is there no bridge at Atiamuri, and have wo for the last two years only crossed it in-imagina-tion? oris it possible that the writer in the Waikato Times has been misinformed ? A few lines further on wo are told that “ there is a passable cattle road from Taupo southward to Napier itself.” Wo have a recollection of being driven quite lately in a coach from Taupo to Napier,.but wo &uppose we must have dreamt it! It would bo useless further criticising an article of tins absurd nature,, but the Southern.

Cross has evidently 41 taken the shilling” from the recruiting sergeant of the Waikato Timvs, for in the Weekly Neim of the 20th inst.. is an article, under the head of “Current Topics,” advocating in a vague manner the route to the Lakes via Waikato for the purpose of seeing the country. We have vivid recollections of the journey from Mercer to Ngamawahia, the joltings up and down the barren clay hills with their covering of stunted ti-trce, and we remember well the picturesque but dreary pumice-stone plains of wi-grass, and lying out at night upon them, and we have, alas 1 many a twinge to sharpen our memory. The subject of the route to the Lakes seems to have broken out as an epidemic, for we notice in the lleraldh report of the deputation to the Premier concerning the Taupo and Cambridge Eoadjkhat the Lakes are again dragged in; but surely both Mr Whitaker and Mr Firth must be aware that the road lately surveyed by the Government goes directly to Atiamuri Bridge, and at no point approaches nearer to Ohinemutu. In the same report the Premier is made to display a wonderful talent in answering the awkward questions put by the deputation. The answer to one by Mr Whitaker is simply admirable. “No difficulty what-e-v-e-r. I suppose there remains a little money some-w-h-e-r-e, and if not, ah I we can get some.” An apt pupil of an apt master!