A Peep into the Future.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3964, 12 September 1881, Page 2

A Peep into the Future.

In these days of advancement, when electricity is looked upon as the motor of the fature, and even now men can hear each other's voices across tbe sea by the telephone, an esteemed friend of ours considers it quite in keeping with the times to write his letters in advance, and has sent us the following epistle :—

"Palace Hotsl, " Waihi, N.Z., Sept. 10, 1891. " Dear John,—l promised you before I left England that I would as soon as possible after my return to the Colony revisit tbe Thames, au4 write you full par*

ticulars of how the old place had fared since" .w,,e cleared out for home. I hasLcned to get away from Auckland, and | arrived nt the Thames last Saturday, after a splerxdid run of two hours in the new boat, which carrying a thousand passengers, makes the trip in that time, propelled by " Price's motor." There are two harbors at the Thames, one at Tal^ra and the other at Kopu. I landed at Tarjycu, and taking the train was very soon comfortably quartered at the Pacific, now kept by young Charlie Curtis, his father • running the i Jalaee Hotel, where I am located. The Pacific has been entirely rebuilt of brick, and is a large house, and doing most of the trade, being the house of call for all travellers from Auckland through to the Upper Thames by rail. I did not see much altera'ion in the Thames . itself, excepting that the streets and footpaths are well metalled and iv good order. The mines are now all worked by large English companies, the principal being the " Fame," commonly known as " Walker's." By the bye, poor old Walker has gone to "join the great majority," toe chagrin he felt at baring cut himself out of the Waihi, thereby losing the chance of leaving a large fortune to his children, was too much for ? him, and, notwithstanding his success with the Fame, the very name of Waihi always brought on the shivers, and he • gradually pined away. Most of the 1 people we used to meet at the Corner are now here and doing well,;having before . they were entirely cut out by new hands, awakened out of tbeir apathy, and located themselves here, this being the central city. Before leaving the Thames I took a walk down Pollen street, and seeing a sign board over the old *' Diggers' Best," notifying that Mr Speight, Professor of Hydropathy, could be there consulted, I called on him. It appears that he has rented the soda water baths at Puriri, and also provides cold water baths at the Diggers' .Rest. The Professor is a frightful example of what the abuse of cold water may result in. Ho appears perfectly washed out, and has not the least color in his face, not even a tinge of orange, and he is very Grey, the effects of his futile endeavors to become a statesman some years ago. 1 left Grahamstown by the 930 train, and was very much surprised at the vast progress made since we left. Kopu is a large town, where all the Southern produce vessels discharge their cargoes into the river boats. The couutry between Kopu and Paeroa is all fenced, drained, and in, cultivation, and looks very nice with the \ homesteads dotted about. Paeroa, like Kopu, is a large town, receiving ail the goods brought up the river for thd Ohine* muri district. It is found cheaper to bring the goods up the river than by rail. Cassrel has a very fine hotel on the site of the old one, and has done well. He lives with his wife and family in a commodious private house about two miles from Paeroa, and rides or drives into business every morning. Leaving Paeroa by the afternoon train, I reached ■ here in about shalf an hour. The railway runs right through to Tauranga, connecting with the Ohinemntu and Great ( -Southern liue9. The city of Waihi is really a wonder, seeing that it is hardly ten years since J Potter built the first whare here. Of course the buildings are mostly all wooden, although some stores, banks, and public buildings are built of stone. Curtis met me at the door of the hotel, and, all smiles and bows, and dressed ia the regulation black coat and white waistcoat, welcomed his many customers who arrived with me. The hotel is built and furnished after the"" style of the 'Frisco Palace Hotel, and I should . imagine that the old man is coining ' money. He says he could well afford to give up business, but intends to die in harness, as it is his amusement. After dinner he invited me into his sanctam, and while discussing a bottle of good port . wine he kindly gave me a description of this wonderful gold field, and information respecting many of the people we knew. The field has proved itself to be the. most payable and prolific gold producing district in the Southern hemisphere, and covers the whole of the country from Owharoa and Waitekauri to the Bay of Plenty. Many vast fortunes have been, and still are, being made. The original believers in the field have had no cause to regret having pinned their faith to it against all the jeers and sneers they at first met with. More next mail, as Mr and JVlrs Adam Porter have just called to take me for a drive in their britska.— Yours trufttEoßEST Smythe."