THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1896. A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 190, 22 July 1896, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1896. A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK.

Elsewhere in this issue will he found an extract from the Financial Statement detailing tho intentions of the Government in developing what Mr. Seddon justly recognises as " our valuable national a-sets," viz., the thermal springs of this district. A perusal of tho clause in the Statement will show that tho sum of money asked for (£50,000) will not he wholly expended in this iniuii diate locality, but there can be little doubt that tiie bulk of tho am' unt will be spent in the place whose natural resources most loudly call for if. We are glad to see that the claim of Rotorua to this consideration is not denied by tbosa of our contemporaries who have alluded to the manner in which tho pr'.iy,:;s(.d vote will be expended. The Auckland Star says : " Mr Seddon in his speech clearly indicates that the greater part of it is to be devoted to the needs of Itotorun. This is as it should be. We say so not in any mean provincial spirit—a spirit that is too often apparent in New Zealand—but because we honestly believe that if any money is to be spent for the purposes indicated, Rotorua is the first place which should receive consideration. Tho region is far and away the most unique in New Zealand. It stands alone in all the Southern Hemisphere, and it is questionable wnotlier in any other part of the world such a diverse collection of remarkable

phenomena is to be met with within the same compass. It will ever be the one point to which travellers in search of health or new and strange scenes will turn when he lands in tne Colony. The Southern Alps are grand, the "Wanganui rivals the classic Rhino, the Otago lakes are as blue as those of Switzerland, but in no part of Europe, or Asia, or Africa is there anything that can compare with the thermal region around Rotorua. By all means let us see to it that these places are opened up, but first let us lay bare our most attractive wares. Rotorua, with the country around it, has been rendered easily accessible from Auckland by the railway. The whole thermal region cannot yet be regarded as well opened up, but as far as Rotorua and its baths are concerned, they are within easy reach of everybody at a moderate sum. Great improvements are necessary however, both at the Sanatorium and in the township before the place is as it should be. At the Sanatorium a great deal could be done to render the place more attractive and more useful, and at present Rotorua itself is reported to be in a very unsanitary condition. How much any unhealthiness in the place must militate against the popularity of the baths, and probably against the recovery of those visiting them, is of course apparent to everybody. The sooner we remedy any drawback to the township the better for Rotorua, for Auckland and for New Zealand. The proposal of the Government to thoroughly drain the place is an excellent one, and should be supported not only by Auckland representatives, but by all the members. We do not anticipate that the House will object to the proposed expenditure. but if there is opposition our Auckland members should be very alert to withstand it, and to obtain for this part of the Colony what all clear-sighted men must see is for the good of the Colony as a whole."

It is satisfactory for us to note that what lias been advanced from time to time in the columns of the Chronicle is now voiced by a metropolitan journal whose utterances naturally carry much w eight, and we arust that the merchants of Auckland will impress upon their representatives in Parliament the advantage of falling in with the views of the Government in this important matter. We would also direct the attention of our readers to a report on the " Thermal Establishments of Europe " appearing on the third page. This was submitted to Parliament so far back as by Mr 0. Malfroy on his return from a visit to the Old Country. It will be seen in the course of the report that Mr Malfroy then advised a liberal expenditure of money to place the 8.-ths here on r par with those of the Continent. Ho has from time to time subsequently returned to the cliftrge, and we have no doubt that his persistent deliverances on the subject have been a factor in determining the Government to take the course now proposed. What were strontr arguments in 1891 are all the stronger in 1896. The stream of tourist traffic has immensely increased, the facilities for travel have advanced with equal steps, and there is every indication that the means of transit to these shores will in the future be rendered easier still. The trip to New Zealand does not offer so many difficulties now as the " Grand Tour " of Europe did forty years ago, and with the superiority of the therapeutic agencies existing hero properly set forth Eotorua should prove more attractive to health-seekers from *the Old World, and a source of wealth to the Colony.

PROSPECTING THE DISTRICT. Every wnok or two we hear fugitive reports of gold-bearing stone being obtained in various places in this district, and at one time, we beleve, a Ppospecting Association was in existence here. So far as we can learn, however, nothing w;is ever done in a systematic and practical manner to test the lnealitie-i which would be most likely to prove auriferous, and, latterly, any exp oration in this way has been carried on in a most hap-hazard fashion. It seems to us that with fresh discoveries m <r"hl-bearing strata being made oil every side the time has now arrived when a concerted effort might be made by residents to thoroughly prospect, tho district, and determine if we are to be altogether passed over from a mining point of view. There is no reason in the world why gold-bearing strata should not he discovered in this locality The old idea that gold can only be found in certain formations has long since exploded. It is uns-ife to say now that anv formation is barren of gold. It lias been found in recently ejected lava beds, in the water of tho sea, and stnmgo to relate, in the deposit formed b\' hot pprings now in activity. That this district has a geological relationship with the auriferous quartz reefs of tiie Thames has been demonstrated by more than one geologist, and in a recent i*sue we quoted tho remark" of Mr Phillip Argall on this very point. For these reasons we would sugge-t that a Prospeeting Association should be formed in Rotorua for the purpose of thoroughly exploring the Horohoro and othe ranges in the neighborhood. [Since the above wari written an adver" tisement lias been handed to us for inser" tion calling a meeting for the purpose o' forming a Prospecting Association.—EdChronicle.]

The Crown Lands Ranger having inspected the town sections which were leased at the last land sale under certain conditions is now in a position to report as to whether these conditions have been fulfilled or not. It is obvious that in some cases they have not been fulfilled and there is every reason to suppose that several of these leases will be forfeited. There seems to be considerable uncertainty as to how improvements will bo reckoned. in tho case of a person leasing one section tlio matter is plain enough, but whore one individual holds various groups of sections in various parts of the town opir'on is divided as to what i.i

f necessary to fill the conditions. Commonsense prompts one to suppose that if a person holds two or more sections which can be enclosed in one fence that it will be sufficient to erect a house on one portion of the entire holding to the value of ten times the unnual rental. From the fact however that the value of the improvements to the Grand Hotel bowling green were gravely appraised we would not be surprised to find ourselves mistaken. Common-sense also leads us to think that improvement on one group of sections to the amount, of ten times the annual rental of all the groups would scarcely pass. It is stated, however, that if the lessee has been astute enough to get all his groups included in one lease, he can build one house on one section, if he pleases, and so fulfil the conditions for the whole. The building condition was introduced so as to deter people from leasing sections for purely speculative purposes, but if the condition is to be evaded in the manner indicated it does not appear to have answered its purpose. We do not know what course the Department will take in regard to forfeited leases. The fairest course would be to ballot for such at the rental value at which they were knocked down at the last land sale.