THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1896.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 180, 13 May 1896, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1896.

It is with extreme satisfaction we reproduce in another column the remarks of the Auckland Herald in ro» gard to the duty of the Government in

providing- f::r Botnrua n system of drainage and sewer ge. The Herald article emphasises the remarks made in these columns last weelr, and comiug from a metropolitan journal cannot fail to have weight with the Government. As a matter of simple justice our crying necessities in this respect demand attention. Within the past week the public mind has been much excercised in regard to the recent action of tho Town Board in leasing their paddock on the banks of the Utuhina stream to he used for the disposal of sewage matter from two of the principal hotels. An objection to tho proposed course by an adjoining le'.seholder wa= discussed at the last meeting of the board, and it was then considered that under, careful supervision and properly worked no pollution of the creek would be possible. Theoretically the Board mav be right, and there is no reason to dispute the statement of Dr Ginders that one acre of land properly used is fit. to deal with the sewage of 120 people. Residents on the banks of a creek, however, in the vicinity of where sewage matter i* being treated, mav well be excused if they have misgiving's as to its being "properly dealt with "or not. Since the Board met petitions have been drawn up, numerously signed and handed to the Chairman, asking that steps bo taken to prevent the lessee from carrying out, his intention. It must be remembered, howevor, that the parties most interested in tho perfect sanitation of tho town are the proprietors of the Hotels in question, and it is not to be supposed for a moment that they will do anything to endanger the health of a town in which they have so larso a stake. In another column will bo found letters from residents inveighing against the action of the Town Board. These are rather hysterical in their utterance and will cause any reflecting mind to ponder on the circumstance which has roused so much nrdor all at once, when the whole place has been suffering grossly from inattention to the most simple rules of sanitation for years pa t. Wo aro glad however to see the people at last roused to a sense of their position, and trust that the outcry will continuo till the status of Hotorua as a health resort is placed beyond reproach. In face of all tho protests raised such steps will probably bo taken as will satisfy the public that, the wrtterof the creek will remain uncontaminated.

Commenting on the remarks recently marie by Mr I, D. Nathan to a representative of this paper tlie Thames Advertiser lias the following:—" A bounteous Nature lias given New Zealand more natural advantages than any other spot in the world, and although we as its people, appreciate it as its true worth, wo do not seem to realise the value of placing before the world its charms, or, in fact, of doing anything to attract visitors to its shores. Certainly the Government have had an idea of advertising the country, but no really practical scheme has ever' been initiated and to this day there are thousands and thousands of people who have never heard of the colony, thousands more who have only a dim idea of where it is, and others wiio, while being able to locate ft on the map, think it a land still in the throes of savagery." After detailing the suggestion offered by Mr Nathan on that occasion the tiscr feels sure " that if we could once get a fair stream of visitors to our shores their feeling after 'doing' th* various Places of interest would be that the trip had.not been made in Vain. Anything in the way of attracting visitors should meet with the sympathy of all who are interested in the Colony's prosperity. >v

A correspondent in last issue suggested that a suitable site for the depositing of nightsoil and other matter might' be found in the vicinity of tlie Puarenga Creek. As the jurisdiction of the newly created local Board of Health extends to the eastern watershed of that stream tlicTe should ho little difficulty in acquiring* sufficient ground for a refuse depot in that direction. It is incumbent 011 the members of the local board to hace everything in readiness so that on the bye-laws being gazetted sanitary work may be at once commenced.