THE AROHA NEWS AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 30, 29 December 1883, Page 2

THE AROHA NEWS AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

'This ibovo nil — to thine own-self be true And it must follow us the night the day, Thou canst not then be f.Usu to any man.' — Shakespeare

SATURDAY, DECEMBER. 29. 1883

Befjkis wo again have an opportunity of addressing our readers 1883 will, with all its joys and sorrows, successes and disappointments, good deeds an 1 evil deeds, have parsed beyond- recall ; and 1.564, with its unknown and impenetrable future, have been fairly ushered in. None of us know what L> before us, the all-wise God having veiled it from our eyes. Certain it is, it will bring 1 changes to each one of us that we little anticipate. The year that has now almost run its course has been one of greut events all the world over ; a year that will be long remembered as one of great disaster and fearful loss of life. It has been one of special interest to New Zealand. It would he vary interesting indeed to glance along its track and briefly review so'ne of the many events that have occurred that deeply effect our country ; but we cannot assume *o mighty a ta«k just now, hut would proceed to make a few remarks concerning our more immediate neighbourhood. Before doing so, howc\ei, it may not be out oi place to notice that 3 :iotf mis M'en the long talked of direct line of stj.mi service between England and New Zealand an accomplished fact, under the able and spirited leadership of the New Zealand Shipping ' Company. This alone is an event the importance of which to this colony can scar eel y be over-estimated, and will do more ihan almost anything else possibly cottkl k> develope many frebh industries in our imd Closely allied to tic above v.c find the frozen meat exportation also altvady become an establfshed trade. The importance of this, too, can s arcely be reaJised ; as if judiciously | a id energetically JWlcr.ved up it means of necessity the oj&ning 1 up and profitable cultivation of thousands, nay, millions of acres now tying waste. It means a source of wcaltii to farmers not to be otherwise derived ; it means employment for many who may now find a difficn'ty in obtaining work * and i$ means, too, heavier meat bills to the householders than heretofore, as ive see already down South the butchers' have been sticking on the extra Id or so per In. almost before they had any excuse to do so. Again, we are glad to see the cultivation of tobacco and fruit has been energetically taken up in our Auckland province, both which must of necessity cause a large expenditure of £, s d, and if results come up to ivell founded expectations and calculations, it further means a source of much wealth to the grower? and a keeping ut home of large sums of money now annually diverted to foreign shores. Tne session, too, has not been without its important events, but this, fhe Native question — the serious outcry of the unemployed down South, and many other matters of vast importance to the colony generally, we muse pass over \ ju^L now and briefly glance nearci ho no. To Aroha of January ]st. 1383, and Te Aroha of January Ist. 1884, are vastly diffeient, and the yeat now well nigh fled has not been without its events of interest to its residents During t'je past twulvo months the (own i

has grown and stretched on every sid< to nn extent that is' certainly surprising, for so yonnsr ft place. Honsef have been built in great, numbers, niam new si. ops been allied in onr 1 ltiaiii street, two new and capacious bathhouses have been erected in connect/on with our wonderful thermal springs, which are already attracting visitors from afar, awl becoming famous by effecting wonderful cures ; the Domain reserve, in which they are situated, consisting of *oine tsv2uty acres 4 has been fenced in and planted with useful ami ornamental trees. Thai capacious, well-appointed and ablycon'hicled hotel, known as " Walkers/ iias be m completed, and supplied a much felt need. The «' Hot Springs Hotel/.' too, quickly demolished by that terror of all colonial towns, fire, hasbeen quickly restored in an enlarged and elegant form, and, as of old, continues a favourite renort. Then we nave had a new Post, and Telegiaph Office built and opened, in addition to which other Government buildings have 'ocen constructed in the shape of a CJourfc House and Warden's office under one roof, and also a Police Station, th" whole (jii one block, neatly fenced in and supplying a long- felt want, and also reflecting the greatest credit on the local contractors. Then, again, th t > has bsvn erected a public school and teacher's residence that would do credit to a good sized city, and as in the ease of the Government buildings refleel much credit on our local contractors. A Public Hall has been built ; a Public Library and Heading lloom established, .md a host of other improvement's made that all add to the importance of the township. The moans of communication, {no, has been greatly improved by the addition of that fast anJ favourite passenger steamer, " Despatch." The railway an 1 traffic bridge across the rivor Waihou, which runs close to the town, will soon be an accomplished fact. The railway to Hamilton junction giving direct and rapid comraunicatiou with Auckland, is being fast constructed. And what shall we say with regard to that •. igantic piece of work in connection with our goldmines — the tramway. After many disappointments many difficulties overcome we find that not only lias it been successfully completed, although at an enormous expenditure of money and labour, cut find it has been in constant use for sotn ' time bringing the precious ore from the minet) (that but for it could never have been worked) to the magnificent Bittary erected by Messrs Firth and Clark, who have done so much to develope the re>>ouiecs of the district. Of this Uattery ami Our Mines it is unnecessary fur us to say further on the present occasion, the subject having been so fully ventilated at the banquet given here on the Gth inst. by the gentlemen just named, commemorating the first g*. neral retort, full particul irs of which appeared in our columns at thai time That many alterations and improvements can and will be made in the working of both tr.unuay and battery we believe, — but one fact remains imply and saiisl'actorily proved, viz., that close to ova very doors exist gold mines of such vast extent, and the payable character of which ha« been so muispvtably ptoved that it is simply impossible to overrate their importance, not only to Aroha itself and all who are interested in the district, but as affecting the whole north island of New ''Zealand. Another battery, equal in power to the present one, is already arranged for by gentlemen who well know what they are about, and we ''oul't not but that this will bo quickly lolloped by others, increased crushing power being mucli needed to more fully develope the field. Waiorongojnai, .the sister township aud head quarters of the mining fraternity, has sprung from a mere cluster of houses into quite a respectable little town, with laigfe hotels, Post and Telegraph Offices, Public Hall, capacious stores, and we might almost have added now school house aS this latter, will be immediately erected. Altogether, the outlook for 1834 i3> we consider, a very bright one indeed for Aroba, find all concerned therein, and vast ami many tuongh the improvements have been in Te Aroha during the past year, still we venfcui'c to predict they will bo considered but trifling in • comparison fco 1 those which will probably „c accomplished during the twelve months we are about entering on. We -•incoruly hope the result will more than warrant the forecast, and assure, our nany readers that it shall ever be oui lamest aim, and endeavour to promote md forward the interests of all concerned in the township itself aud sur* J

oundintf country, nn.l ,to merit their liberal support We will conclude by vislring one and alia bright and