New Scenic Attractions.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 262, 9 November 1904, Page 3

New Scenic Attractions.

LAKE TA-RAWEHA'S OUTFLOW. SENSATIONAL EXPEDIENCES. SPLENDID WATEKFALLS. The Tourist Department has received further particulars from Rotorua regarding Lake Tarawera, which has fallen about Oft during the last few days. A gentleman, who on Monday tried to go froin Whakatane, via Te Teko, to Rotorua, with lis wife and two children in a buggy had a most thrilling and decide'dlv unpleasant experience. On Smida'v the road was quite clear, but between ten and eleven o'clock the next day he found the waters rising rapidly, a large area of the Te Teko swamp,, situated between the two rivers, being tinder water. His driver, however, pushed on with the party, having no conception of what had really occurred. By-and-bve the buggy splashed into a strong whirling current, which scoured out between the wheels, with the result that the vehicle was practically anchored. It was at once recognised that it was impossible to proceed further, and dangerous to remain where they were, so the horses were taken out of the buggy, and bv that means ihe lady was enabled to ride one animal, and the two children the other, one horse being led by the driver and the other by the husband. About a quarter of a mile back the party camped on higher ground, while the driver rode back to Te Teko for assistance.

While waiting there some Maoris rame along on hossebnek. They had been pig-hunting in the Tarawera Valley, when they saw a huge wave of water. Said the Maoris : "It was like a mountain coming down the valley towards us, and we galloped away as hard as we could • to the the hills to get out of danger." Mr McGarvey, proprietor of the Te Toko Hotel, went out with a couple of light buggies, and brought the gentleman and his family in safely. He remarked : "I have been here 35 years, but never saw the water up like that befose. I expect Tarawera has broken its bounds and flooded the country." As regards the new waterfalls, the chief guide, Mr A. Warbrick, who climbed down the face of the cliff, says : "Talk about a grand sight, Waimangu is not in it. There are two splendid waterfalls, one fully tOOft, an almost perpendicular drop, ind the spray rises up like The other waterfall Mil Warbrick described as being aboutnOOft, with a >reak resembling Aniwaniwa Falls, Lake Waikaremoana. This will form a new scenic attraction for Rotorua, and is said to really beat the great geyser in grandeur.

Prom a practical point of view, however, the first result will he to damage a lot of country that it was proposed to cut up for settlement. There is a new road being formed, upon which people that, way were building great hopes, especially after Mr Mackenzie, Crown Lands Commissioner, and Captain Turner had done the trip from Hotorua to TeTeko by motor car. Now the road will have to cross this river, »nd what was the driest section on the low-lying lands formerly is at present under water. In fact, thousands of acres of good land are submerged, and it is hoped a lot. of it will drain off onee the first rush from the lake has been disposed of.