THE ROTORUA SALE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3594, 15 February 1882, Page 2

THE ROTORUA SALE.

The " Otago Daily Times " states that the Thermal Springs Districts Act, under which tho Rotorua township is advertised to be sold on lease of 99 years, was drafted at tho suggestion of Judgo Fenton. The Met enables the Governor to take the place of native owners, with their conaent, aa landlord in the localities concerned : to make terms by way of lease with persons desirous of settling there, and to lay out any lands, execute any works, build any buildings, and make any arrangement or regulations whatsoever .that may be necessary for achieving the objects of the Act. The Governor is not to be hampered by any existing legal technicalities, but is to get possession of tbe tracts of country in question as best he can, and administer them, when in posssesaion, as best he may. "By this means," continues our Otago contemporary, "tho Governor stands between the Maori owners on tbe one hand and tbe European monopolists ou the other, and founds a settlement for the benefit of both, and of the public in addition. The ultimate consequences of this pale cannot be foreseen; but it may reasonably be assumed, without indulging in any visions of the far distant future, that this lovely region, hitherto uninhabited save by a scanty native population, will at once become peopled by a numerous and well-to-do .European community. The difficulties of access will, it is expected, be speedily removed by the construction ot a section ot railway bringing Rotorua into daily communication with Auckland; aud as soon as that is done tho progress and , prosperity of the new settlement will bo assured. As a political step, the establishment of a large population in the midst of the native districts in the interior of the North Island will be of immense value ; but that, in our opinion, is a minor consideration compared with the advan-' tage to be derivod from constituting the hot springs of New Zealand the sanatorium of the world. We can well imagine the gratification with which the author of this admirable scheme contemplates the approaching fruition of labours which it has been one of the objects of hie life to accomplibh,"