TE AROHA HOT SPRINGS.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 61, 2 August 1884, Page 2

TE AROHA HOT SPRINGS.

The baths made to utilise our hot spriners are now thorouglily reconstructed, an(i are much appreciated ami largely patronised by the inhabitants of this district. Every convenience and privacy is now provided for either ladies and gentlemen making use of them. There are three separate bath houses in the Hot Springs Domain ground. No. 1 consists of a plunge bath 10ft by 7ft, by 4ft deep, having a woo len grating on the bottom, and a seat all round with stops at the corners, and is also provided with four recesses partitioned off for dressing, with comfortable raised platform grating in each. A coll shower and bath are also erected in one corner. The building, which is made of corrugated iron, is well ventilated to let out the steam. The temperature of th*». wafer in this bath ranges from 00 leg. to 105-ieg., a chance in the weather <ir some other cause varies the amount of boat in the springs which •supply 'same. There arc two principal •springs in this bat!) which emit a considerable quantify of gas oozing through the apertures of a roof, cm^inuf the wafer 1o have the appearance of hoiliivr -apidly. This bath is chiefly u<ed by pei sons who, require a dip as a luxury. riie other baths having a higher (emj> iiratnre, are used by those trouble 1 with r.K'nmatic complaints. Near this bn f i, which is situated at the rear o\ tue Hoi Spring* Hotel, there is another hot spring, which is largely used for drink.n •• purposes. T.ie water is about IDS do:^. temperature, and tastes very much liko soda water. Im fact it is known as '•thejsoda spring." Persons using the water for drinking purposes find it highly tiencficial, and a prevontative of indigestion and numerous ot!i?r ailments. No. 2 hath house is situated near the southern boundary of the D mviin, nnl contains «i plunge bath ]oftx7ft, and fc tlie suno depth «s the No. 1 bath. There are four recesses for dressing, and a cold shower is placed in a corner df the building which is not entirely roofed in. The spare immediately over the bath itself being covered with wooden bars a few inches apart, the remiin lor anil the dressing box^s are covorH wifh corrugated iron. The temperature of the water in this bath is from HOdeg. to UG-leg., and is found to be most effectual in relieving rheumatic pains where regularly used. No. 3 bath house is the building nearest the main entrance to the .Domain, and contains two hot baths in separate rooms ami -a ,cold* plunge bath and shower in another room. There is also a waiting room near the entrance. The hot water for supplying the baths is conveyed from a reservoir constructed near No. 2 bath, the distance between the reservoir and the No. 3 bath house is about 200 ft, the iron water pipes are entirely covered with a wooden,, box filled round the pipe with dry sawdust, and the loss of heat between thereservoir and bath amounts to only 8 or 4 per cent ; the heat of the water in the reservoir varies from 112deg. to 120deg. and is supplied in the baths at from HOdeg. to HOdeg. There is also a coll water tap at each bath so that parties using them may reduce the temperature to suit their comfort. The cold water is supplie 1 from a reservoir about the -sainn distance away as the hot water one. Tuis bath is known as the private baths, and a higher charge is made for admission to it than to the other two. Lalios especially ara greatly pleased with the comfort and privacy obtained here. r Th'To are several other hot springs in different parts of the Domain, and these will be in time utilised for augmenting the supply of hot' water for the reservoir, an 1 also may be used for supplying. smaller or private baths. Numerous soda water an'J sulphur springs also exist, and these will be opened up and accommodation for drinking, etc., provided. A p'easanf drinking soda water is obtainable of Various degrees of temperature, ranging as h .jh as llOd eg. The charges made for admission into the baths are such as t> lvntler them within the reach of every one. Ticket* for. the plunge baths aiv suit) at Ss per dozen, and for the. private bath fit at (5s per dozen. Family tifkot> ln>:\y, b k e procured for £-2 2s per annum , giyiK^\ala»issu>n in'fToyany off ~tUe v batUe;

while annual .tickets ior ojw person onlycost £119. The above eh irge are necessary to provide funds to pay n caretaker, who has been employed to look after the baths and other work in the improvement of the Domain. When Ihe sumincr weather sets in there, is in donbtbnt that numbers of visitors will come to Te Aroha, for the purpose of using these baths, now that every necessary accommodation if* provi led for their comfort, and such reasonable charges made for (ho use of the baths. Board and lodging may be had in Te Arolm for £1 a week, ami first-class hotel arcommoda(ion nt from 25s to 80s per week. With such moderate prices charged at a place which bids fair in tim<» to become a favourite • anatorium, these hot baths will prove a source of tittntction to those who may wish for a few weeks' rest and relaxation from the care and worry of town life. Visitors to To Arolm »ye- of necessity charmed with the situation of the town, lying immediately at the base of the mountain on a #radual slope between the foot hills and the Wailipu river, which can be traced for many milos winding along t ! ie valley by the clump of kahikatea bush growing o\\ its banks, while further off across the valley may be seen tb-j buildings comprising tho township of Waitoa, and of the farm'jr.s and settlers houses in that dis-. tritt., and the course of the Waitoa river may also be trace 1 by bus') tie sain \ as the Waihou. At a distance of 7 or 8, allies to the southward m.ty be seen the ! 'louses of the township of Sha-ftesbury, ;he settlement of the Lincolnshire F.irmors, and still further south on a clear day the buildings on tho Matamata estate may be discerned, and the intervening part of the valley dotted here •md the.c with settlers houses. Morrinsville is about 12 miles distant from Te Aroha and the Auckland railway to that township will be opened within a month or two, and will place Te Aroha in daily communication with . Auckland ; and visitors will be subject to no delay in going or coming and late journeys by coach avoided. The Waihou river is navigated up to Te Aroha by tho Thames River Steam Navigation Company's boats nearly every day, and a through passage to Auckland may be procured by this route at a cheap rate. Tue rapidly rising township of Waiorongom v, 3 mi'tfs distant from Te Aroha, is reached by bus ! in half an hour, whore may bo seen in full work the battery and other appliances engaged extracting gold from the mines that are in close proximity, and parties wishing to visit them can go cither on hors.j'mek or foo*-, an 1 at t.ie same time have an opportunity of beholding some of tho grandest and most romantic scenery im iginable. Tnat the ■iot springs of Te Aroha will ere very long, and wit'i bettor and mo.v rapid communication establis'ie I, be u source of attraction to hundreds of p.'opk* an nu-tlly none can don'»t. Th-'ir I' ; ir as health restorers will soon become known tar and wide* Within th< 1 \v\<t fe.\ months several parties we coul.i mention have come h>rc re^nl.u* invalids, an 1 by a judicious course of the baths in a few weeks have so change 1 for the better that they have been able to go horn" again, an 1 astonish their friends by the wonderful and rapid recovery. In one or two recent instances of fiose fiuff'ring from in ligestion and liver complaints, the benefit derived from drinking the soda, water referred to, has been little short of miraculous, whilst those suffering from rheunntism m»v wit:i every confidence come to Tv Aroha for a course of the hot Laths. We would in conclusion mention that the late alterations and improvements were carried out by Messrs Booth and Robinson, contractors, and Mr J. Farrell, to the entire satisfaction of the engineer, our genial and respected fellow-townsman, Mr H. Orum p Indeed the best thanks of the community are due to Mr Crump for the active part he has taken in the improvements referred to. He has given up nearly his whole time to the work whilst it was going on, and left no stone unturned to make the hot springs of Te Aroha a source of pleasure to all comers, and with most satisfactory results.