PROPOSED SANATORIUM AT TE AROHA.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1662, 1 March 1883, Page 3

PROPOSED SANATORIUM AT TE AROHA.

■ , i The Hot Springs Reserve. „ TJfE.pu'bHc.of te Aroha are hot Content, it Would 'ieem, with' their, notoriety as a gold-mining centre, but have determined on leaking their rapidly rjsjng and proap,eroua township a favourite resort fprtouns,ts, and a plage of attraction fojr tljp travelling public, as, well as,a, wmatop'um for invalids in search of a h'e^lth -. recruiting influence,, Indeed) frp'qfi what, w,e have gathered on the matter, it' bfas. well to rival Rotorua in some respects./, for, , being a business centre, n wfych.^Rofarua certainly ia not, and does not' promise to be, it should attract that class of tlie public, who not being in a p'ostyio'n , to enjoy the benefits ofasaua,-tc-rluni, ,u,ncqinbine(l with business, are' obliged, if they go in for the former, at, all, to continue jbheir connection witty 'the latter., When thegoldfield opened over two years ago, the hot springs, which had hitherto been almost unnoticed by the outside public,. even the resident;? of %\\a district, ,, began to share with the new gold finds the public attention ; indeed, to those who had taken up their residence on, the field, the springs, which were then in their natural conditionhad not been improved^ by art to make them most attractive in appearance, or more convenient and accomodating — were always, coupled with the future prosperity of the .place, and, spoken of as a source of great comfort, and a blessing to the new community. In the course of time, some little improvements were carried out by, private enterprise in the , way of cleaning out the springs, and crectiug a protection from the sun in theahape of a shod, and though these improvements were much wanted, and were a great advance on the old state of affairs, still nothing like justice' ( Was done to these most important sanitary belongings. Vfcune time ago, however, through the twresentatiops of a number of gentlenien concerned injtfic welfare of the district, ftnd partly, we might say, through the inherent recommendations of the springs themselves, a grant of £500 was made by the Government towards creating, in connection therewith, a suitable sanatorium, the money to be expended under the supervision of Messrs. Stafford, "Whitaker, Lipsey, llocho, and Can*,* the gentlemen who ' constituted the local domain board. The most suitable way of spending , the money has been a subject of conversation and debate since the grant' was made ; but ultimately a definite proposal has at last been got together, and one which we feel certain will meet the approval of all parties concerned. 1 i The domain board took advantage of Mr,,Mahoney's presence at Te Aroha last week, and consulted that gentleman on the matter, and from him they received many valuable suggestions in addition to those already entertained by themselves as to how the money should be spent. It is proposed to construct a reservoir 30ft. x 20ft. x Ift. (deep), estimated 'to contain 20,000 gallons, on the site of the springs at piesent in existence, Immediately adjoining this will be erected a cold water reservoir 32ft. x 20ft. x Gft. to contain 30,000 gallons. Fiom both reservoirs the water will be conveyed to a site on the flat where commodious buildings will be erocted, and here all the business in connection with the sanatorium will be curried on. It is to bo arranged that theie will be separate baths and apartments for ladies and invalids, and each department of the concern is to be replete with every ncucesaary convenience so as to ensure the comfort of visitors. The overflow iromi the reservoirs will be utilized to supply a large plunge bath in connection with , the other baths in the building. The board had contemplated using concrete in the construction of the baths, but Mr Mahoney has advised that wood should be used, it being a non-conductor, and more easily kept clean than concrete. Though the above proposal is at present receiving the earnest consideration of the domain board, still it will require Mine time to mature. In the meantime, however, the board are cai rying out considerable improvement in the lescrve, and the prompt manner in which they have set to work leilects much credit on their energy. These improvements consist mainly of an enclosure 18ft square, with walls 7ft high, and bath Oft square. Two side? of the enclosure will be roofed and divided into anumbei of separate compartments for the convenience of those using the baths. A small charge will be made for the use of the bath within the enclosure, and different hours will be made to accommodate ladies. The old bath at present covered in will still continue free to the public. We have heard it expicssed as an opinion by persons who nave visited Te Aroha that Mr Walker's new hotel was many years before its time, and that the accommodation it afforded was far in advance of the place. But when wo consider the effect of the above contemplated changes and improvements, leaving aside the probability of a large increase of business when the mining returns come in, we think Mr Walker's enterprise was exceedingly well timed, and we fed sure from the accommodation which it promises to afford in connection with the new sanatorium will be handsomely rewarded. Again we must not omit to consider the fact tha the railway will shortly be a thing of the present, and this no doubt, from the accommodation which it promises to afford to the tiavelling public, as well as to traffic generally, should materially enhance the impoitance, and increase the business of the house.