Hawke's Bay Herals. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1904. WAIKAREMOANA AND MORERE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12952, 29 December 1904, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herals. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1904. WAIKAREMOANA AND MORERE.

We took occasion a few days ago to call the attention of our readers to the tourist traffic in connection with Taupo as a centre. It was pointed out how important it is to the best interests of our town to foster as much as possible an acquaintance with those sights that can be readied wit bout difficulty, and that cost but a smul! sum compared with the cost of visiting places wiiere there are fewer attractions.

The remarks we made concerning Taupo hardly apply in the case of Waikaremoana and Alorero, for in both places something has been done by tlic Government, to luster the visits of tourists. Morerc, as most of our readers are aware, is situated not far from Xuliaka, to the north-east of Wairoa, and is reached by coach from Wairoa. Its hot springs possess curative properties, and few places remain along tile coast where such beautiful bush scenery abounds. Xikau palms adorn the grounds, and a holiday in summer at Morerc is a pleasure not easily forgotten. But for grandeur and boldness and bracing climate, it is nt-ccssary to take a trip to Waikaremoana. This beautiful lake is situated

about 35 miles to the north by west of Wairoa; in fact, the Wairoa river flows from the lake under the name of the Wttiau. The cliffs surrounding the lake appear to have been tilted inwards, or lakewards, so that as the observer looks down from the high Surrounding cliffs the thought comes into his mind that the lake was made by the tilling inwards of rocks at the time of a great earthquake.

But in whatever manner the lake was brought about, there can be no doubt as to its beauty. Great CcaVps rise on the west, one thousand feet or more out Of the water, and nearly three thousand feet above the sea level, end everywhere the bush-clad rucks present a scene that is ns inspiring to the mind as it is to health. At the lake a house has been built by the Tourist Department, so that every comfort can be had whilst wandering hero and there to enjoy some of the thousand and one attractions that the district presents. And Wnikatcmoaua is not the only place of attraction. Smaller lakes of surpassing beauty abound, and one may visit places of historic interest in connection with the To Kooti ranis. Admirers of Izaak Walton can have their pleasures satisfied to the full in the creeks and streams that flow into the lakes. Trout arc abundant and they grow to It largo size, so that the sport

is often hist, and if not furious, certainly enjoyable. Some years ago several fallow deer were let loose in the district, and already they appear

to have thriven well, tus several herds arc known to exist. This district is certain to become one of importance in the. near future. The road now in course of formation from Rotorua will soon be finished, so that it will be possible to start from Napier either by

coach or by steamer to Wairon, and proceed to Waikntemoana, thence by steamer across the take, and so on to Galatea, the Waiotapu Valley, ami Rotorua —a trip that will bo one of the finest, if not the finest in the colony. Here then we have something that it is to the interest of Napier to foster ns much as lies in the power of the people. Wc are within four hours of Wairon by steamer, and wore the bar less changeable and uncertain, there would be no difficulty in reaching Waikaremoana in ten hours from the lime of leaving Napier. This is something that calls for consideration. Cannot Napier render any help to the people of Wairoa in their endeavours to make a proper and something like a permanent entrance to their river? The interest la nut that of Wairoa alone. Benefits will come to Napier, and if something could be done lo render the noble river of some commercial use, there could be no doubt as to the advantages that would accrue to Napier as the centre of an important tourist route.

Wc have so often called the attention of our business men to the great advantages of making known the health resorts that suttound us that the re is no excuse if they fail to grasp the many advantages that offer to this town by watching the growing prospects that arc opening out to us in tiro direction of our local tourist resorts. It depends In a great measure upon ourselves whether the traffic to Waikatemoana is to be merely between Rotorua and the lake or between Rotorua and Napier as well. It behoves all business men interested in furthering the interests of Napier to consider the suggestion wc have thrown out with respect to the river entrance at Wairoa. The settlers have do'ue a good deal in the hope of improving the entrance, but as yet without any apparent benefit. Were encouragement shown by those whose business interests lie in the direction of Wairoa, no doubt it would be possible to so improve the lower portion of the river as to have a fair entrance without those harassing delays from "bad bar,” which have hitherto l)cen a very serious drawback.