CORRESPONDENCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2097, 26 April 1898, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

Under no circumstances whatever is the Editor responsible for matter contain>id in, correspondence ] (Toth© Editor). Sir,— lt is to 'be hoped that ‘ odd little Te Aroha ’ is as far behind ’the large towns of Australia in the negative attributes of its inhabitants as ft is in all other respects There appears to be a considerable deal of friction simmering in ‘ odd little Te Aroha ’ at pjresent over the closing hours, as well as the alleged untidy state in which the baths, etc., are kept. But that a professed disciple of the Prince of Peace should himself take the bellows and blow the smouldering coals into a more lurid flame is something to make simple laymen open their eyes. Probably the Rev Joseph Campbell has been egged on to rush into print just as the worthy Romaau Catholic bishop was to sign the petition before he was made acquainted with the merits of the case. The writer takes au oc-

casional dip, and considering the cut up and rutted state of the paths tt must entail an enormous amount of labour on the attendants to keep things as they are. I also noticed th~‘ at times hoodlums get into the ha bis who disport 'hemselves in such a manner, that they splash the water over the whole shop, making matters uncomfortable for lees hilarious bathers and entailing a deal of exira labour on the caretakers. A notice should be put up cautioning them. The whole ‘storm in a teacup 9 brings to the writer’s recollection an anecdote he heard in the long, long ago, about a tradesman doing a job at a gentleman’s mansion He was not long at. his work when the mistress came round and rated him soundly on the slovenly untidy manner in which he was carrying on the work. - The tradesman turned round and respectfully but firmly told her that women and children (he might have’ added and-parsons) should never see work in a half finished state. For stirring up strife in ‘small communities' I would take the meddling parson against ttm fukThis is not levelled against rh : c gy in general, not even against the Rev Joseph, as he is familiarly called, in particular. lam not an engineer nor an engineer’s .Son, but 'lit'the risk of being voted presumptuous, : Lre.;p or-' fully venture to. made a suggestiono-n the ‘ level-headed ’ members .of tit-:-Domain Hoard, viz., that oh "the completion—will they ever bo complet' d ? —of the co-operative works they shoul.. employ the services of a/competent v landscape gardener to lay out th>>Domain, keep his plans iu the office and carry them out in detail just as the funds at their disposal will permit. If this proposal is acted upon I pi omise not to crow over the matter; if ignored we will be just ‘as we were.’—l am r etc., A Casual Visitor.

(To the Editor.) „ ' Sib, —I am so charmed with my visit to this beautiful place, not having seen' it for nearly ten years, that I am tempted to ask for a‘little space in your columns for a few Words. The great interest I have always taken in Te Aroha may perhaps plead for me as some excuse for thus troubling you ; but I may also say that. I am one of the few living Europeaus ypho had explored this district as 1 long ago as Christmas 1871, when the only , bathing place was a hole about ten feet in diameter, since called No. 2. " One cannot help observing some- of the illnatured remarks , and cpmplairits, that have been mad A’ to ‘■■'the Domain Board management. '' ‘From' /enquiries’ which Ihave made ftT/to authentic sources, I havev’come to th& 1 conclusion that these com pi&ifetk are unfounded and is of course imposstble. to 4yl<‘ttse;gverybody, and some. of, the -Te . Aroha residents should-bear in mind the fact of residence giyps . them, :no vested interest in tbe. Domain. -As Mr Seddbn said, it is ‘ l ational property,’and every individual •y'ltaxpiyer:- the colony from the North- Cape to,’the Bluff has .as muon interest in : this Reserve as anyone residing' here. The limitation of the hours during which the baths should be open on Sundays is a step in the right direction, but I think the Board have not gone .far enough iu their solicitude for the com- ' fort; of their officials. Some people believe that-the/ baths might fairly be closed on Sundays after IQ 30 or 11 a.m. Invalids, tourists and others would not object when the reason was explained, and the residents certainly ; have opportunities ens||l) during week days. The charges of pptidyness, ,w nt of cleanliuess, and * fhch ’ caivhoi be sustained. They an- Moithy of 'attention, and ean md) ha v' p ore , d from those wli<» liavedpok, d.but v.- ,fy. superficially rnto thematier. .- Things canhi.it be kept in apple-pit.,order;with the works atpresent in. /, progress. When all of this is done much -.'"’more will be affected in the wav of beautifying the Domain. The time .will soon come when the Government will say to the Board 1 Now you ufUst shift for yourselves,’ aud until then the Board would be quite justified in allowing a portion of the entrance fees to accumulate as a future reserve fund. The large sums spent by the Government recently , have accomplished" a 'great deal, but much remains to be done, and it is to be hoped that the Government i will generously provide all the money % that is wanted for the speedy completion of the work It should not be pottered over but should be done at once. I must confess, when I arrived here ten days ago, there was a feeling of disappointment that so much should remain to be done after all these years. But there seems little to complain of when we 6 consider that Te Aroha residents have not contributed any funds, and that it is only at a comparatively recent date that Govern- 4 mentj has recognised the justice and necessity of placing the Dorman Board in such a position that it will soon be able to stand alone as a institution,—l am, etc.. ° Albert J. Allom. Te Aroha, 25th April, 1898‘.