TE AROHA AND WAIORONGOMAI

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2533, 4 October 1888, Page 2

TE AROHA AND WAIORONGOMAI

.[by our special reporter.] Many eyes are turned upon the Te Aroha Goldfield, some with doubt and others with hope as to its future, for should it turn out as payable a field as many assert it will, the benefits that will accrue to the province are incalculable. To those who have a few days to spare, a trip to that place would provo very pleasant, for apart from the attraction which a field —believed to be gold bearing— the sanatorium is in itself very attractive as well for its picturesqueness as for the wonderful healing properties of its waters. It is destined to become the favourite resort of tourists and invalids. Unlike Rotorua, there are no disagreeable fumes of sulphur continually filling the air, there is no danger of falling into a boiling spring or breaking through the tliin crust of the earth if one leaves the beaten track. There are pleasant rides and good boating, and if it is not equal to Kotorua as a wonderland, there are choice bits of scenery and beautiful glades in the wooded hills, which more than counterbalance the wonder of the other place. Going through the Piako swamp, the prospect is a dreary one, and not likely to impress the traveller very favourably with the district, but the scene changes on arriving at the town—the centre of which is only five minutes walk from the railway Btation. It is pleasantly situated at the foot of Mnunt Aroha which rises abruptly from the plain, and which is covered with fern, shrubs, and in the gullies are patches of bush, the main range at the back being densely wooded What struck me most on arrival was the excessive bibulous propensities of the residents. A custom which I saw soon affected visitors. " Come and have a drink," can be frequently heard uttered in the dulcet tone of the ladies, as well as in the harsher tones of the male sex. The habit is not confined solely to adultr, for even little children indulge very freely. Oue young lady of tender years admitted having taken several glasses at one time without being any the worse for it. Sunday drinking is carried on to a very great extent, and the authorities, so far from trying to prevent it, connive at it, and encourage the habit as much as possible, as it is an indirect source of revenue to them, and no matter how duty-struck a policeman may be when he goes there, he soon becomes lax in this respect, and, giving way, becomes in a short time as fond of indulging as the rest. As Ido not desire to convey a bad impression of the hospitable residents of Te Aroha, it would be as well to state that the drinking mentioned refers only to the health-giving mineral springs, for during my stay I saw no drinking of intoxicants. Waikato residents will sea several familiar faces there, Mr Winstone, of the Bank of New Zealand, Mr Clough, of the Postal, and Mr Bluck of the' Railway Department, besides others in private life, so that one does not go among entire strangers. There is a wonderful alteration in the town since I first saw_ it, nearly nine years ago. The domain is being beautifully laid out. A' lawn tennis court is made, and all the appliances for the game can be obtained from the caretaker for a small fee. The baths are all comfortably fitted up, each being covered in, and on the door of each building its number is painted in large figures. A guide book is given on application at the ticket office in which the analysis of each spring is given together with the temperature, so that any range of heat can be obtained In the private bath house are nine rooms, with hot and cold water pipes, and a shower bath to each, and visitors can regulate the temperature to suit their individual tastes or complaints. There are several other springs besides those for the baths, two of which are extensively used as drinking springs, in one (No. 15). the temperature is 130 Fah., and in the other (No. 8), 109 Fah. For dyspeptics No. 15 is recommended. In the centre of the Domain, close to the tennis court, a band stand has been erected, and here the Te Aroha brass band plays on certain evenings during the summer. Besides three'very fine Hotels, the "Club," "Hot Springs," and " Palace," there is a fourth suitable for persons with very moderate means, theie are also several very good private boarding-houses. Business appears to be dull at present, everyone holding on for the results of the various methods of treating the ores. Should these turn out a success—and the promoters ate confident they will —the future prosperity of this place and Waiorongomai is assured. Belief in the success of the gold-saving appliances in course of erection is by no means confined to the promoters and owners of the mines, for everyone I questioned about the matter expressed his firm belief in them also. I should strongly advise those who think of going into business there to wait for tenor twelvemonths, by which time it Will be known how far the predictions regaiding the saving of gold, as well as its existence, will be proved to be right or wrong. At present there are cjuite sufficient business places for the requirements of the district, A movement is on foot to form the town into a borough. If astranger might be allowed to offer an opinion I would suggest that they should wait until the resources of the hill were more fully tried. The fact of its being a borough would no doubt give it an air of greater importance, but with increased importance woi'ld come increased expenses and necessarily increased taxation, which would be more easily borne by a larger population. If the mining industry turns out a success Te Aroha will become a little city. There is every reason to believe that this industry will bo successful. The best experts from England and America have been employed to giye.tfwir opinion, which, after the most c.irejulip veStiea tion and analysis, is favourable toTl&at belief. It is not reasonable to suppose' that companies would spend very large sums of money in the erection of costly plants if they did not see their way clear to make money out of it. Mr Parkes, one of the greatest chemical and gold experts of the day, is now engaged putting up reduction works at Karangahake in the suitability of which he firmly believes. Some parcels from the Tui mine are to be treated there when the works are ready for starting which was to be on the Ist inst„ (Monday), the result is .nost anxiously looked forward to. Mr Parkes is, as I have already said, a chemist of note, in England. He says he knows of a process by which the iron sand on the West Coast can 1 be converted into the best of iron, and very profitably. There is a fortune in store for the man who can do so, the supply of sand is inexhaustible and if Mr Parkes can show us how to save that as well as the gold he will do nn immense amount of good. Of the battery at Waiorongomai' and the ' quality of the soil there, tenure, to.;I «hfU write in toy noxt. ■ 7 ; ~ .