TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7878, 1 June 1891, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

A C.o|pu~raß haa. recently been formed at Akaroa with a view of bringing the attractions of tha place before the public, and inducing visitors to coma there, To ony&ydy who has seen Akaroa, ifc may be a matter of surprise that such a Committee has been found necessary. Having visited the piaos they usually want to go there again, and recommend their friends to follow their example. There is no que*, tion that it has baen wonderfully favored by nature ia the- matter of beauty of scenery. The land locked harbor, with its girdle of picturesque hiils,its numerous bays, and the ever varying atmospheric effects of which it is the- Qo*ae, is a spectacle of whioh the lover of nature never tire*. Apart from this Akaroa has attractions which would make its fortune as a seaside resort if it were situated in the Old Country. The visitor from..the Canterbury plains find* himself in quite anew World. WalJking along the romantic valleys which wind upwards from the harbor towards the' crests of the hills at the back of the town, he might almost fancy himself in soma picturesque JSngjUsb, vii>ge. He 'wends his way along a genuine country lane, and the slopes..ou either side are dotted with cottages surrounded by a profusion of flowers aud shrubs, and having ft distinctly old-world flavor about them. Higher up he comes to patches of New Zealand bash—a sorry remnant, alas, of the noble mantle of forest with whioh the hills were formerly ciothed-~aad there are still a few fsres in cue gullies. In his ratable? he nay come across an old raUi, or a picturesque waterfall, and wherever he goes the music of running water ia seldom out of his ears, as each valley has its nooimtaiu stream hurrying down to the sea. The flowers and fruit of Akaroa are special features of which most people have heard. When the. gardens of Chriatchuroh show little but dead leaves and decayed stems, the flowerji at Akaroa go blooming gaily on, well 'feough the winter. Ia the autumn the eye rests oa trees laden with, .wejl ripened fruits, and; waluuts, chestnuts aud filbert* evidently find iv these picturesque valleys a most congenial _ome.

In another respect Akaroa is of especial interest to the visitor. It is a place with assouiatioß?, and ia these colonies we usually have to be content with scenery alone,, without the spall which history so often throws over a beautiful scene in older lands. Akaroa is a place full of historical iaferosi. Everybody knows the stay «l tfce grlsa «M warrio* V«&*upa

»ha,a_dthe on the cunouadookiag psßia^J I ?**' Jhichi. soon aero*, Everybody knows also at the J? £**** French and English to take J . ** Inland of New wJ^*J made a French possession, iw , * point, if not the identical a«!Hif !% which the British Flag wa , * when tho French f 3 }** the harbor, jiut four days the town are to be f oaa d "J* housoa erected by the fl,* «' **' settlers, after th, pattern of thos , seen in rural parts of * aro also, we aro glad to say, still S a t? jT* two at aay rate of the original f colonists-Air Waock.rle J* t^t full of court** to tho*. who &£/? know something of what they hare a*/ during tho fifty-oao years th uy have JS mi tho p'aca. And this courtesy we add. v ehuiwterittw of the r^d e «t»T* largo. They are wort sociable and Mod to stranger.. Tho visitor gets to Miauie over their la:M. if he **St. climb the bill, LUcy uot only direct; hm in his walk,, but will sometime, »T! spirit of tru» courtesy gi» 0 alm „ pleasure of their company as m\i. V„ unfrequantly their fruit and th wett _- hojpltably lavished upon hiia.

Pa uub-t one of tho chief reasons why Akaroa is not mote visited by tua tourirt is oaa which (jives a great ukariu totfo placj whou you aro there. It i 3 uttt'ofth,, beaten track, and an iinpccsdioii oxUtstSt it is difficult to get at. There « M t fcr«» routed, however, from which to take ono's choice. You cau go' t stoatnar lroui Lyttelton. Ton ciw b , steamer to Pigeon Bay aud tliejK* by coach. Ol' you can go to River by rail, again taking to lbs coach fyr tho rest of tho journey. As it fepoj. siblo, leaving CUristohuioii a lititlol>Qfdro eight in the inoiniug, to ro;-.oh A,'ia»oa ia tuna for lunch, at an expenditure o£ifc fora return tiskot, tho journey caattoi \& siid to be ao troui-mJouaiy formidable fcfat all. If tho local Committee, of whom Ut Westenra v tho euergetio CiuurnuL succeed, aa wo bolievo thoy «UL i a making the attrajtions or tho plots better known, they will confer a boon not only oa Akaro* itJclf, bat oa numbijci of residents olstiwh&ro dcairoa* of finding a pleasant place Co spend a holiday, It would bo a jjood tiling if thoy could in* duoo the Railway Comuusjtoaera to girt » betbar service via Little Biter. Tho Pigeon Bay route is cheap and quick, and seems to be vory popular, The Borough Council, we are glad to see, are becoming alive to the importance of ank« ing tho plaoo attractive to viaitora. They might wjta advantage, howover, spend more on roads and footpaths. With the water-power going to wants ia the streams whioh intersect the town, it is very possible the eleotrio light might be introduced and economically worked. The picturesque Domain is a credit to the place, and the sea baths are a decided boon. The Council has also just provided an asphalt tennis .court' en the recreation ground. There were rumors, recently of hobnailed boots in connection with the tennis court, but it is to ba hoped that it is now under proper arrangement and regulations, ytrict attention should he given to the sanitary care of tho town. It would be advantageous we think if the Committee would got seine trustworthy climatic records and .cam* potent medical opinion aa to the class o! invalids likely to be most benefited by a sojourn in the place. It is said that marked benefit has accrued in luag cases» and to a layman, at any rate, Akaroa appears to be an ideal winter resort for delicate people, to whom a mild clitnute' is of advantage. Akaroa, liko some other places in New Zealand, has exhibited, a decline in population siuoe tbo last census. It has a great endowment;, how* ever, in its internal advantages o! beauty and climate, and if taaie. are made tba , best of, it might have a really flourish* ing future before it hi w»ato«um a»d holiday resort.