AN EASTER TRIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 829, 21 April 1910, Page 3

AN EASTER TRIP.

[By Our Own Correspondent]

Now that the Manawatu is linked to the Auckland province and the wonderful and aweinspiring geyserland, by rail, numbers of people are enabled to “ do ” the trip who would not otherwise attempt it by the old route, via New Plymouth and Onehunga. The Main Truuk affords an opportunity to break the journey at places of interest between here and the (2 Lleen City. Besides, it is more economical. Return, first class to Auckland (excursion), ,£3 os ad ; second class, half this amount. Then Franklon Junction to Rotorua, return, about 14s ; from Morrinsville to Te Aroha, 3s fid return. Thai’s your actual travelling expenses by rail. And yet one often hears of the tremendous cost of a fortnight’s jaunt! As a matter of fact, the whole trip can be accomplished in a fortnight, and everything worth seeing taken in, together with first-class accommodation, for the sura of Of course, one can spend per week if they chose to do so, but ,£ls is ample for the trip. I cannot too strongly recommend this trip, both from a health and educational point of view. The journey between Manawatu and Taumaranui is very interesting. After leaving Mangavveka, the country is very hilly, and the clear moonlight afforded a fine view as the train sped on its way. Taumaranui was reached at about 1 a.m., aitd we decided to stop over night. The Grand Hotel, opposite the station, affords excellent accommodation, and here, by prearrangement, a warm supper and comfortable bed awaited us. The other accommodation houses were ablaze with light, in readiness for visitors, and raucous - voiced porters, as the train steamed in, announced the names of their respective houses. To ensure a bed, it is necessary, especially at holiday time, to wire ahead for same, otherwise one is liable to be left out in the cold —not a nice experience in such a region. Tariff here, 2s alround. A tour round in the morning disclosed a hilly outlook, and a row of low-built shops and houses of accommodation. Plenty of Maoris were in evidence. We strolled down to the upper reaches of the Wanganui river. It is from this point that tourists are conveyed to Wanganui via Pipit iki. The river here is very narrow, and the launches are necessarily of small draught. The laud is owned by the natives, and settlers do not feel justified in erecting ornate and permanent structures until a more secure tenure is obtained. The weather being fine, everything looked at its best. The trains break the monotony. Our porter fought valiently to secure seats for us in the Auckland express, which ' arrived with its freight of tiredlooking travellers from south at a later hour in the morning- Te 1 Kuiti impressed me with its mush- ‘ room growth, and I should not be ' surprised to learn that it will de- 1 velop into an important centre be- : fore long. The country about 1 here has a better appearance. We '• broke the journey at a little flag : station called Hangatiki, in order ' to visit the famous Waitomo caves. A four-horse coach was in ! waiting to convey passengers to 1 the Government accommodation 1 house at Waitomo, a distance of : six miles, return fare os. A ‘ cream can on the station platform gave evidence that dairying was ' being carried on somewhere in the vicinity. The country we passed 1 through by coach was covered in ! fern, and very hilly. Some of the land appeared to have been surface sown. Settlement is very scattered. 1 The road to the caves was formed 1 by the Government, but is not 1 metalled, and the driver agreed 1 that it was very bad in winter. The latter, by the way, a com- 1 paratively young fellow, is the 1 pioneer of the road, and a very : capable driver, and the way he swung his team round the corners 1 was a treat. We arrived at the new accommodation house ready for dinner. Our party included a ! number of young ladies employed 1 in the civil service at Wellington 1 —out on their own. The tariff at 1 the house is 2s alround. We ; were informed that the caves were increasing in popularity, and that 75 per cent, of the visitors to Rotorua included the caves in their tour. There are two stalactite caves here, one about a quarter of a mile from the accommodation house and the other —Raukuri— about two miles distant. The interior of these caves are very beautiful and awe-inspiring, the stalactites and stalagmites haring taken on many weird and curious shapes. It would occupy too much space to attempt to describe these wonderful works of nature. The exit from the Waitomo cave is qy punt, and the dome is magnificently illuminated by myriads of glow worms, which may be likened to the heavens on a clear starlit night. The guide fees for each cave is 3s per head. I was informed by an ex-Greytown boy —Mr Albert Grigg, who has property in the vicinity—that there are a number of caves equally as beautiful on private property, including his own. The following morning the accommodation house was left at 9.30 to catch the Auckland mail. ’rauktou junction was reached snortly after 1 p.m., and the Rotorua express boarded. To be Continued.