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King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 336, 11 February 1911, Page 5

The entrance hall is about 20 feet high, with beautiful walls and ceiling. This is about 130 feet long and at the far end ladders are requisitioned to enable the visitor to descend about 20 feet. Opposite, on the wall, is a very fine organ, composed of brown composition. The notes of the peals of! bells, formed by a blanket on another part and emitted by different parts of these imaginary instruments are as pure as if struck on real ones. All along the sides of the walls grow (if that is the correct expression) masses of white coral, looking exactly like the wonderful products of the tiny animalcule of the ocean bed. Further on we see a particularly fine specimen of an upright stalagmite, standing like a pillar in the centre of the chamber. Stalagmites such as this, and in all shapes of completion, are a feature of Aranui cave. Shawls and blankets, imaginary schnapper and flounder, pipe stems, and numerous other formations, are above and around the visitor on every side. At the extreme end of one of the two chambers into which the cave branches off, are to be seen on the floor of the cave perfect reproductions in brown camposition, of water lilies, and another charming feature is a bank of driven snow for such it resembles, sparkling as though studded with diamonds. Enough has been said to indicate what a valuable and interesting discovery the Tourist Department has benefitted by. It is not the intention of the department to throw the cave open to public inspection for some little time yet. The necessary planking and barriers are not yet completely in position, but as soon as this is clone the public opening will be announced. After the return of the party to Waitomo Caves House two deputations waited on the Minister for Agriculture Mr C. J. Kirk .spoke in reference to land tenure, and Messrs Scholes and Johnson on road matters. Fuller details will be given in our netx issue.