MARUIA SPRINGS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 6 September 1930, Page 14

MARUIA SPRINGS.

MORE ACCOMMODATION. GOVERNMENT OFFERS LEASE. If tho Tourist Department succeeds in leasing the Maruia hot springs reserve, which it is offering to tender for a term of 21 years, an up-to-date liostel for the accommodation of visitors will be provided. One of the conditions of the lease is that "during the first six months of tho term tho lessee shall erect on a site to be approved by the General Manager of the Tourist Department, at or near the Maruia hot springs, a suitable accommodation liouse providing for the use of tho public at least one public or commercial room, one sitting-room, and six bedrooms, comfortably furnished with at least twelve good beds. Accommodation for travellers' cars or horses must also be provided. Plans and specifications of such accommodation house must be approved by the General Manager before any work* is commenced thereon."

Tho area which is being offered contains approximately live acres of open land, the balance of the area being mixed beech bush. Tho" hot springs themselves are situated on the north side of tho Maruia river at a point about six miles up from tho Alfred river confluence, and are not included in the lease offered.

Bathrooms have been constructed close to the springs. Theno consist of two small buildings, one containing two rooms and the other one room, used as bathing-sheds for males and females respectively. Tho sheds are connected by a light suspension footbridge with the south side of the river, where a small cottage and two huts have been erected, the cottage having three rooms used as bedrooms and a kitchen, and the other buildings containing' only ope room each used as a sleeping room.

Maruia is 39 miles from Reefton and 53 miles from Murchison, and may be reached by a bridlo track over the Lewis Pass from Canterbury. .Ultimately a road will be constructed, work having been commenced at either end. It will bo obligatory upon the lessee to provide, at least twelve good camping sites in the vicinity of the accommodation house to be erected, and these will be mado available to campers at a small rental, The lessee will be entitled to make such charges as are approved- by tho General Manager, and he will be responsible for the maintenance of tho bath-houses.