ON THE EAST COAST.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 410, 8 May 1902, Page 3

ON THE EAST COAST.

JVAIPIRO HOT SPRINGS,

By Our Special Correspondent)

Owing to the want of a good road on the Coast little is known of the Waipiro Hot Springs, and it is only those whose business pas compelled them to travel in that direction who can testify to the valuable natural asset that Gisborne has at its very doors. This difficulty of communicat on, thanks to the enterprise of the Waiapu County Council, has now been overcome, and at the present time one can drive with comfort from Gisborne to the Springs inside of two days, The last of the Hikiwai bridges has just been completed, and in fine weather the road is as good as one would find in Poverty Bay. . The Waipiro Hot Springs are seventy miles from Gis-borne, and situated between Tokomaru and the Waipiro township, being eight miles beyond the former place, and four miles nearer to Gisborne than Waipiro. The road from Tokomaru is of hard clay and papa formation, and whilst it js admirable in summer is not so pleasant to travel on during the wet season. For the first two or three miles the traveller going from Tokomaru to Waipiro passes through native properties, and afterwards for a distance of several miles through the station of Mr J. N. Williams. It is all good pastoral country, and is well watered. Approaching Waipiro Springs one is struck with the barren appearance of the hills, there being little or no bush to speak of. The Springs are on elevated ground of an undulating character, eight hundred feet above the level of the sea. The country is of a volcanic nature, and the hills are covered for the ’ most part with fern and manuka growth. After having visited Nuhakau, one misses the excellent' bush scenery which is so abundant there, and viewed from a distance one’s’ first impression of Waipiro Springs is disappointing, but on closer inspection this feeling is spoil dispelled. The Springs are without doubt as good as any in the colony, and from a medicinal point of view the waters are even better than those pf Rotorua. The wants of the travelling public are well catered for by Mr and Mrs I). Gordon, who are the pioneer settlers at the Springs. Some ten years ago Mr Gordon was led to visit the place to try the waters for rheumatism, from which he suffered most acutely, and he derived such benefit from them that lie decided to make the place his home, and to open an accommodation house' Previous to that the Springs had only been visited by surveyors, residents in the vicinity, and the Natives. The latter used to go in large parties and make a camping ground of the place, 'lhey made liberal use of the Baths for the cure of all manner of skin diseases and other ailments, and almost invariably; were cutetij The abutuiaat sup.-

ply; of natural gas on the surface of the ground enabled them to do ail their cooking with littic trouble, and they were always most hospitable to Pakeha travellers passing up and down the Coast., The country about the Springs is "chiefly, clay and papa, and is of poor quality. Some of the hills are made up of a conglomeration of rock, clay, and sulphur, with an abundant supply of natural gas. You can pick up sulphur in almost any part of the hills near the Springs, and one has only to throw a lighted match into the crevices of the rocks to hear the roar of the gas in the passages underground. Coming to the Springs proper, they are about twenty in number, of varied degrees in temperature. Some are sufficiently, hot to boil potatoes in, whilst others are merely tepid. The temperature of several of the larger Springs is 170 degrees, and

there are two which are on the boiling point. A strange feature of the Springs, "and one which is also seen at Rotorua, is that there is an icy cold Spring side by side with one which is almost boiling, The chief

Spring runs into what is known as the Gordon Bath, the latter being most popular witli visitors who are in

good health. The bath is a little over six by six, and is enclosed in a new building erected by Mr Gordon. There is a good flow of water into the Bath, the amount being roughly

estimated at 15,U00 gallons an hour. Tlie water is highly charged with sulphur, and persons suffering from rheumatism, sciatica, or skin diseases as a rule derive great benefit after a course of baths. 'l’iie flow of water from this Spring is sufficient to keep a

large .swimming hath overflowing, and it seems a great pity that it should be allowed to run to waste in the manner it- is doing. Natives living in all parts of the district travel to Waipiro for the purpose of taking this Bath for the cure of liaka liaka, for which disease it is locked upon as an unfailing remedy. The next spring worthy of notice is known as the “Wheeler,” called after Mr W. J. Wheeler, who laid out the Te Puia township (Waipiro Hot Springs). This Spring is more generally known as “the Mud Bath,” probably on account

of its color. ■ ft is situated about 3 chains from the accommodation house, and is at present in its natural state. From the hill the water runs into a

large pool, and afterwards trickles away through the manuka to the creek below. The water is very strong, and iias excellent medicinal properties, and is chiefly used by invalids, being a certain cure for eczema- I am informed of several cases where patients who had tried Rotorua and other places without obtaining relief, were wholly cured by a course of baths in this mud

pool. The look of the water was not sufficiently inviting for me to- take my morning dip in it, so I preferred to patronise the Gordon bath. There is .a strong flow of water from the Wheeler Bath, and on a rough estimate I should say that it would run about 1000 gallons an hour. Next in prominence is “ the Surveyors’ Bath,” which is formed by the water being dammed in a great hollow. The water from this Spring is very hot, and the Natives habitually use it for cooking their meat and potatoes.

(To be continued).-