BAY OF PLENTY TIMES. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1872.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 32, 21 December 1872, Page 3

BAY OF PLENTY TIMES.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1872.

“ The spirit of the times shall teach me speed,” king JOHN, ACS IV.

Captaik Tubsteb, some six weeks a&o, wrote to the head-quarters of his department, at Wellington, suggesting the advisability" of proceeding with the formation of a dray road from Botorua to Tarawera as early as compatible with the general arrangements of the Government. We .are happy to inform our readers that on Thursday last Captain Turner received a telegram instructing him to proceed >with the survey at once. This is indeed ;good news, as the road when finished will place Tauranga within one day's easy journey by carriage from the Lakes, the -distance being only about 52 miles. Juadies and invalids especially may congratulate themselves on the announcement, for the journey on horseback, if, as it generally is, executed in a hurry, is anything but pleasant to the delicate'and those not accustomed to long rides. Before long we may reasonably expect to see " King Cobb "an institution amongst us. It would be very easy to leave Tauranga early in the morning and get to Tarawera the same evening comfortably ; ipdeed, this would only be At the rate of six miles an hour, over an •excellent road. The return journey may be pleasantly varied by going to Maketu, ■■& good road from that place to Kotorua being already made. Tourists will now be _enabled to "do " the Lake district satisfactorily in three or four days from Tauranga, and return to Auckland in nine days from the time of starting. Is there no one here enterprising enough to start a line of coaches, with & good house of accommodation the other end ? We feel -convinced it would pay, --as with increased facilities for transit the -number of visitors would of course be greater, We will refer to this more particularly at an early date. Meantime, w congratulate the .settlers throughout the Bay of Plenty on the benefits which arast be derived by the Botorua and Tarawera Boad. The road between Opotiki and Poverty progressing very fast, and great credit is due to the contractor, Captain Simpson, for the manner in which he has pushed the work ahead. We learn that 150 natives belonging to a hapu of the Whaka--I;ohea are employed upon the road, and seven miles are now completed between Anaramutu and Moturera.