Excursion to Paeroa and Te Aroha.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2504, 15 January 1877, Page 2

Excursion to Paeroa and Te Aroha.

The smart little steamer Te Aroha started from Grahamstown Wharf at five o'clock on Saturday evening with a number of excursionists for Ohinemuri and Te Aroha, the object being, as set forth in the advertisement, to give "excursionists ample time to view the Broomhall selection, and other attractions, such.as the hot springs, sodawater springs, &o." The arrangements for the trip were that the Te Aroha should carry excursionists te Paeroa on Saturday night, and that the smaller boats Fairy and Buona Ventura should proceed up the Waihou on Sunday morning, returning in the evening and, after spending Sunday night at Paeroa, to come back to the Thames this morning, which arrangements were carried out to the satisfaction of the excursioni>ts, the masters of, the steamers, and Messrs May and Onyon, who chartered the steamers,- doing all in their power to please their patrons. The wea ther somewhat marred the comfort of the excursionist*, the rain having commenced b fore the Te Aroha arrived at Paeroa However, with the threatening look of the sky yesterday morning about 30 persous eniba ked on board the Fairy and Buona Ventura, and went up the Waihou | to the foot of the big mountain. One of the delegates who went up to view the land on behalf jpf. the applicants for land on deferred payments has favored us with the following •■„•■.

NOTES OF THE TRIF.

Arrived at Paeroa at half-past nine in the evening, and at once adjourned to a hostelry for accommodation aud to arrange time for starting next morning, which was agreed on five o'clock. Some wanted to go at four o'clock, but they had to give way. Sunday morning was very wet, but we made up our minds to face it, and-.started, receiving every attention from Messrs May and Onyon, who had chartered the steamers, and were assiduous in their attentions to us all. The first hour's steaming brought us to the head of a large Kaikatea forest, the driver up to this point being thickly studded with snags, rendering navigation difficult and dan* gerous. From this point to Te Aroha the country opens out into broad reaches easily navigated, and after passing through the forest, the view presenting itself to the eye is magnificent. As far as the eye can reach vast plains and gentle rises appear, the laud being of good quality, apparently, with here and there a patch of swamp, but"" giving an area of country which if properly cultivated would produce enough grain to feed all JVew Zealand. On nearing what is now called the '" Broomhall selection," we were surprised to see a number, of Natives peeping out here and there through the titree, and on coming round a bend of the river we were still further surprisfid to see some 60 or 70 Maories armed to the toeth, with double-barf oiled guns, rerol*

vers, swords, pistols, and arms of a ruder character. These formidable looking aboriginals hailed us to come into the bank, which the steamer captain proceeded to do, and a lot of the warriors at once jumped on board, nearly swamping the Fairy. They were very bounceable, the crowd being the same that has lately issued a manifesto protesting against Mackay's proceedings and saying they will not give up the Aroha. They wanted to know if we ha^ any Ohinerauri natives on board, asserting that if we had we could not be allowed to proceed, except at the risk of being shot. We hadn't any Ohinemuri Maoris, so we were allowed to proceed without further hindrance from these hostile-looking r.entlemen. The bank of the river upwards is one immense peach grove, and is charming to look upon. The natives have a "pub" at their settlement, where they supply ale and porter at two shillings a bottle, and other liquors at sixpence a glass. We saw Broomhall's selection and a portion of that which the deferred payment selectors want. It is all good land, and would cut up into splendid farms. The hot springs are not imposing looking, but could be wonderfully improved. The Natives charge one shilling for a bath, contending that the land is theirs still. We left < >mal>a about four o'clock under a storm of Maori yells and gesticulations, and warnings not to return until the war with the Ohinemuri Natives was over, and much other bounce of a similar character, to which we replied that it was "all bunkum," and only a ruse of theirs to extort from Mr Mackay. more money. We got back to Paeroa at nine in the evening, alter visiting what should one day—and at no distant date—be one of the largest and movt flourishing agricultural districts in the Colony. The snags in the river at the point mentioned are a drawback to the navigation, but it is said they could be removed for an expenditure of £200. Captain Moore said he could take the Te Aroha right up and would do so if something were done to remove these snags. We got back to Grahams town this morning shortly before 10 o'clock.