NOTES A BY A NEW ARRIVAL. (From A Special Correspondent).

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 195, 19 March 1887, Page 2

NOTES ABY A NEW ARRIVAL. ( From A Special Correspondent).

Desirous of seeing the Thames and adjacent goldfields, which by thoway baye excited much interest where I have come frptn, I embarked at the Queen street wharf in Auckland on the Rotomahana, and in about four hours and a half reached the Thames. This town at first sight strikes a visitors as being prosperous and bu3y, owing to the main streets being lined with shops closely built together, but a careful scrutiny opens a visitor's eye to the fact that about half, if not more, of the shops built in prosperous times are vacant and rapidly becoming dilapidated. I was informed that in the early days the Shortland end was the centre of business, *And must confess to the belief that it is likely to again become so. After an inspection of one or two of the mines, I took the steamer Patiki from Paeroa, »nd admiringly viewed the many attractions of the Thames river ; the tortuous course of the stream renders navigation SQmewh&t slow,bnt to a new arrival this is " not wearisome. A very obliging master Capt. Bettis is, and his information on the route seemed almost un- | limited regarding the various points along the river. On reaching Paeroa I landed on a high wharf in a onesided street, the banks of the river being opposite our bedroom windows. The first object of interest met with was the novel sight of a cavalcade of Natives from the Rotor ua district, who proceeded across the river to pay a visit to the local tribe. The procession en *£°ute from Mackaytown to the Paeroa (township was formed in very orderly manner and consisted of about seventy horses currying men and women — many of the latter having children in their arms, or on the pommels of their saddles. All this was headed by a British Ensign. I visited the spot where they were camped and peace seamed to prevail, little intercommunication took place, and the most promineut feature in the programme appeared to be the diligence devoted to the preparation of food. I heard of a case of one row when an infuriated dusky one broke in the door of a whare, for what reason I could not definitely ascertain. There were about 300 Maoris assembled on the banks of the river and they displayed their strict sense of impartiality regarding Sunday observance by permitting their grounls to be used for football practue. Tue local tribe has provided very comfortable quarters in the shape of a capacious house built of rapu, or rapoo as it is pronounced, and an abundance of very high fi h, eels, herrings, stingaree, and dried suark, I am told that the Ohinemuri Natives are likely to run a little short of food as the conseseqaence of this visit. Acting upon the recommendation of a resident, and hay- ■ ing the good fortune to secure a pilot i in the good-natured person of a mine manager, I determined to visit the upper | country ; and starting on a fine moonlight night we rode to Waihi in the course of about three hours. I may remark en passant that on the way, at a place called Owharoa I met a very ori- « ginal character, a profound student of the divine William, the Bard of Doon ! This worthy man was most hospitable to us, and when Shakespeare came up, as he is bound to do (oh ! help his shade) whenever the Uwharoa admirer meets with mortal man, a long and disputatious sitting is the result. After leaving the wayside stoppage we proceeded along an excellent road, and reached the pleasantly and healthily situated Waihi about the witching hour. Host Colebrook was rattled up, the inner man refreshed, and Somnus took control. In the morning, under careful guidance, I was shown over the field where several mines are getting good returns, and on visiting the battery I was aso tished to find in such an out of tbe way place such completeness in detail. The mine to which the battery belongs is about a mile and a half away, and the connection is made by a tramway which has cost about £600. The company has constructed * water race for motive power about a mile long at a cost of over £1500, the fall from this race into Leffle turbine is 28ft. The battery has 30 heads of stampers, but owing to want of water they are only using eight heads at present. The hills, plains, and river beds of Waihi show every evidence of volcanic origin, but notwithstanding the fact that diligent search has been made, no trace of any crater has been discovered. Several expressions of opinion as to the desir- ; ability of connecting Paeroa, Waihi And Waitekauri by telephone. On leaving Waihi I wended my way to Wa'tekauri, and though it may not be generally credited, the statement should not be put down to gush, but one of the most beautiful bushes or forests it has been my lot to see presented itself on my passage to the battery and mines. Sylvan glades occasionally ; ferny dells frequently ; heavly timbered spots intervening ; giganfcio kauri trees towering high and straight, in many cases five and six feet in diameter, often shewing a variety foliage unequalled anywhere your correspondent has been, a gently undulating road, enabling one to observe all natural beauties of the scene, a clear atmosphere and an almost cloudless sky. What more can mortal man with a love for the beauties of nature desire. (To be Continued )

Physicians are now using aniline oil as a local anesthetic when simple operations, such as the opening of a felon, are to be performed. Tlio finger, in such case, is dipped for a short time in the oil, and although the flesh may subsequently be cut to the bone, it is said there is absolute* ly no pain.