HINEMOA HOUSE

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 September 1915, Page 2

HINEMOA HOUSE

PARAKAI

HELENSVILLE HOT SPRINGS

ANOTHER new and handsome commodious boarding-house of thirty-six rooms, situate just outside the Helensville Hot Springs Domain, is the result of Messrs A. Becroft and Sons' labours for some months past, and which is a credit to the firm in question, the owner (Mr Woolsey Allen, of Dargaville), the district, and all concerned. For conveniences of every description there is nothing to come up to it in any part of the North Island^ mainly because " Hot Spr^^jjL, Baths" are obtainable on Hf^Bf premises. A patron of the houl^ . need but go from his room at any time of the day or night and indulge in a luxurious mineral bath, hot, warm, or cold, with a shower added, thus avoiding all chance of catching a chill through haying to go out in the open. The mineral water is supplied from two large .artesian bores, " Hinemoa" giving forth 45,000 gallons, and " Tutenakai" 30,000 gallons, thus producing 75,000 gallons every 24 hours; there are immense cooling vats for cold water supply, and all waste in connection therewith, as well as from the patent lavatories, runs through the Helensville Town Board sewerage system, in consideration of which concession the proprietor has given the Domain Board all the extra mineral water they may require.

The grounds, which are neatly laid out, possess lawn tennis courts, bowling greens, and gardens, but there is a lot of outside work yet to be done. A / great feature in the grounds are the real geysers, which, at present give a display every 24 hours.

The house itself is of two stories, with, two entrances by spacious halls on the ground floor, with cosy smoking room, and handsome dining room, 40ft by 16ft, furnished with small tables, beautiful sideboard, the ■ floor being covered with green pattern linoleum. The drawingroom is 14tt by 28ft, and is also handsomely decked-out with plush suite of furniture, carpet, piano, over-mantel, etc. The . , ! large kitchen, washing-room, j cool ■ safe, dairy, and pantry (underneath the numerous iron i tanks outside, containing rainwater), the bath-rooms and a number of bedrooms, are also situate on this, the ground floor. Ascending a fight of stairs, , two large halls are reached; *- these have ranged alongside them more spacious and lofty bedrooms—4 double and 12 single— linen-press, sitting, and other rooms, with patent w.c's. in convenient situations both up and r down stairs, a fire escape, and coloured-glass doors in places. • A beautiful view of numerous surrounding farms, ever clothed in emerald green foliage, the passing trains in the distance, and the steamers going to and fro on the river, may be obtained from the balcony. The whole of the premises, including bathrooms, are lighted with acetylene gas, and the furnishings and floorings are quite lavish in appearance, , everywhere showing most conclusively that the proprietress, : Mrs G. S. Nield, has spared no expense in any one detail. * A word of praise must also be given to the painteis and decorators (Messrs Bradiy and bon), who have done excellent ' work with the paperhanging, varnishing, painting and "picking, ' all over the premises, the * outside also looking spic and s span in drab with white facings. .; Mr A. Becroft senr. had a free ' . hand m designing the premises * }> ana all appointments, and, ■- almost needless to say, has lttade , ; an excellent job of the contract. ? lhe premises are now open fc» -j business, and the tariff i s 7s pef *-• day or £2 per week. This rate" ': includes the baths. Only visitors staying at the house are allowed to use these baths.