OPENING UP THE DISTRICT.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 3, Issue 143, 28 August 1895, Page 2

OPENING UP THE DISTRICT.

By " Sentinel." The article in a late issue of the ChhoxiCLE, re the new line of road to the East Coast, via Rotoiti and other lakes was most, interesting. While fully endorsing what your contributor states as to the importance of this great work to all the rising East Coast settlements, as well as to Rotorua, I would also beg to draw public attention, through your columns, to some other matters equally important. The first is the necessity of opening up one or two branch lilies of road from the trunk roadway in question now being constructed at Kotoiti. Those branches should start from the Waitangi Hot Springs between Rotoehu and Rotoma, and dose by both those charming lakes—the one following along the eastern shore of Rotoehu and down through the numerous farming settlements of Pongakawa and Otaruarakau to the Coast, and the other leading along the western and northern shores of Rotoma, via Okaraheato Manawahc, and straight on through the pastoral runs and farms surrounding the' newly awakened township of Richmond at Matata. A bright and permanent pros-: perity is a certainty for the great bulk of the country though which these twi short branch lines will pass, as the land is admirably adapted for grazing purposes, and also for fruitgrowing, vine culture, &c. Under these circumstances the Crown could not possibly do better than acquire the remaining native interests in those districts. There are extensive areas of Crown and native lands throughout the country which the trunk and branch roads referred to would render immediately accessible to that always numerous section of the community on the look-out for pleasant and convenient locations for planting " homes " upon. It is to be hoped that the Hon. John MoKonzie will see to this on his promised visit to Rotorua after the present>S ssion. With proper facilities for travelling and conveying produce to market, for which a good subsidy should be allowed the steamers, these lake districts of Rotoiti. Rotoehu, Rotoma and the others would speedily become the abode (under a wise system of small farm and fruit-growing settlements)—of one of the most populous and prosperous communities in New Zealand, if not in the world. Therefore, Mr Editor, the sooner the work in that direction begins the better. With that end in view we, in Rotorua. should lend our at present small voice and aid in influencing the powers that be to come and see for themselves the resources of payable settlement existing all around, to look on the glorious and varied opportunities that our wonderful lake district offers for developing the prosperity and increasing rapidly the yeomanry population of th.o Colony. Rotoiti should be connected with Rotoehu and with Rotoma, either by short canal cuts of in all about three miles, or by light tram or railway service such as is being adopted for sparsely peopled country districts lying some distance off the great railway lines in England and most of the other European countries. These light lines New Zealand is now feeling the necessity of as feeders to the main lines. Hydrographic surveys of all the more important lakes should also he put in hand at once in order to obtain the requisite data for dealing not only with questions affecting intcrlakc traffic, but also questions regarding proper systems of sewerage for our towns, the great thermal action of the district, and tin; constant supply of thermal and mineral waters for the various sanatoria which now exist in the district, and which must be largely increased and developed in different localities in time to come. A partial hydrographic survey of the Taupo Lake is the only one that has been attempted so far in the lake district, and that many years ago, by Mr Laurence Cussen. Either he or some equally competent member of the Survey Department should be detached without delay to obtain thorough surveys of the Rotorua, Rotoiti, Rotoma, Rotoehu, Okataina, Tarawera and any of the other lakes deemed necessary, so as to be provided with the data requisite for the purposes indicated. The fact of Dr Ginder.s, the medical superintendent of the Sanatorium, having recommended a beginning being made with a light railway to connect the baths of Puerenga with Omawhata will no doubt receive the favorable consideration of the Government, which has taken a heavy responsibility on itself under the Thermal Springs Act. Had private enterprise been allowed to aid in developing the thermal and other resources of this wide district, there woidd. without doubt, have been a widely different, state of things all over the hot springs area. From a stagnated unsatisfactory condition every interest is now suffering and Parliament should be prepared to incur a very large expenditure in the general development of the country, or else relinquish the attempt altogether and open freely the gates to individual capital, enterprise, skill and energy. The present "dog in the manger" policy cannot bo allowed to continue—this resting and sleeping a lazy life away —if disappointment and disaster is to be avoided in the years that are rapidly approaching and as rapidly passing away.