A ROYAL VISIT.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 3, Issue 156, 27 November 1895, Page 2

A ROYAL VISIT.

Amoxgst the future possibilities of the Hot Lakes, District a visit from the gracious personage who presides over the realm has not been reckoned on and it would scarcely be worth mentioning now were it not that the London correspondent of the Auckland Herald recently suggested it as preferable to the periodical royal sojourn at one of the German spas. It has, certainly, been observable that more than ordinary solicitude has been exercised in the sumptuous furnishing and decoration of the Grand Hotel, by which that palatial edifice has been rendered more fit for a royal residence than the mere temporary resting-place of the average globe-trotter. The lavish expenditure in this respect however is fully accounted for in the new light afforded us by the Herald correspondent, and we can even conjure up a vision of her gracious Majesty gazing at the geysers of Whaka-

rewarewa from the Hinemoa Street balccuy. It is true tliat the Herald writer " supposes it is not to bethought of " but tliis is only an euphemistic expression designed to soften what must be a severe blow to the sauer-kraut-eating, lager-beer-swilling denizens of the German watering-places who look upon the annual visit of a large portion of the English Court as theirs by prescriptive right. It also explains to a great extent the delay on the part of the Government in stating their intentions as to what they intended to do in furtherance of the beautiful scheme propounded by the Premier. It is easy to understand that during ono of the interviews between Her Majesty and Mr Ward the former would, as is the habit with all elderly ladies, dwell at some length upon the acute rheumatic pains from which she suffers, and that the Colonial Treasurer should .suggest a course of the Rachel, Priest and Sulphur Baths as a ' 'sovereign" remedy, to use the correspondent's expression. No doubt arrangements for the royal visit will be made by Mr Ward during the recess and instead of the Colonial exchequer being trenched upon the Royal purse will meet the outlay. " I honestly believe," says the Herald correspondent, " that a visit to Rotorua will do more to improve the royal health and prolong the royal life than anything else in the world." And so say all of us!