THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1896. DR MacGREGOR'S REPORT.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 193, 12 August 1896, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1896. DR MacGREGOR'S REPORT.

Ix that. portion of Dr MncGregor's report which refers to the Eotorua Sanatorium and its management there are one or two points \vhich seeiii to require conmieut. in his preamble Dr MacGregor states : —"A deal of confusion exists in the public mind regarding this Institution, owing to the fact that the Sanatorium proper, for which alone this department isresponsiblo, is equipped only for persons who are unable to t fiord the abundant and comfortable accommodation provided by private enterprise for the ordinarv tourist. The existing baths have not sufficient accommodation, liorarothev fitted up to meet the requirements of tourists. Only the bare necessaries are provided for the use of the hospital patients in the first instance, and thereafter for such resident invalids as can lie provided for." There should bo no confusion in tho niind of anyone regarding the purposes of the Sanatorium, but there seems to be a considerable amount of confusion in tho mind of Dr MacGregor when he states that tho existing baths liavo not sufficient accommodation for tourists. We presume that tho Department which Dr MacGregor administers is in possession of information similar to that which is available here by anyone v ho cares to inquire. This beiiiothe case there is no excuse for making an erroneous statement in a public document. At the very lowest estimate, ami allowing one hour for each bath, there is aiuplo accommodation for 11,-500 bathers ■ daily, for tho ten hours on which the baths fro open during tho season. In a month of 30 day. this gives a capacity of 4 5.009 baths. According to tho returns, which are published i» these column--periodically, tho average number of bathers per month during the past year is 2.408 and the greatest number for any one month was 4,(i'2G. That is to say, that the baths were never taxed to much more than one-tenth of their capacity. In the face of this wo submit, that it is ridiculous to say that the b tils liavo not sufficient, accommodation for tourists as we'll as Sanatorium patient". Likewise it, is absurd to imply that tho wants of the Sanatorium patients have been nlono considered in fitting up tho baths. The comfort and requirements of tourist and invalid visitors have always been kept in view as much as possible by the authorities here and, ai far as funds would permit, satisfactory arrangements made. If not luxuriously appointed they aro well ventilated and capable of being kept scrupulously clean. These are the main desiderata or a bathing establishment. It must be remembered that, tho demand for luxurious surroundings in the matter of baths is a tiling of recent growth in Eotorua. It came in with the first through train, and has been pampered by the erection of palatial hotels and cosv boarding-houses. There is no doubt, that it will continue to grow and in fulness of time tho demand—like all other demands of the public—will be responded to ; mayhap out of lint. £50.000 vote, or by private enterprise. A stranper, glancing at Dr MncGregor's report and reading that " the first thine- to be done here is to develop the bathing arrangements," would irresistably come to f,he eonelusion that, our bath system was in an embryonic condition instead of being the most perfect of the throa existing establishments in tho Colony. " The roofs of the Priest's and Eachel Baths must bo repaired," writes Dr MacGregor. "fresh water must bo laid on at the Postmaster's Bath, and a female attendant must be provided ; the concrete wants repairing ia tho ladies' baths and tho lighting at night should bo improved," All those matters have been discussed by the administering body at their, meetings and have been the subject of repeated representations to the Government. Tho slightest inquiry would have resolved the Inspector-General's doubts on most of these points, and should have prompted him to write somewhat after this strain: "The chemically charged atmosph- re has worked sid havoc in the roofs of tho Priest's and Encliel Baths, but a quantity of alkaline and acid resisting material has hepn proc-uied and is now in the store at Eotorua for the purpose, of re-roof-ing tho baths in question; a swimming bath for women with a capacity for 200 bathers daily has just been completed ; fresh water is in process of being laid on at the Postmaster's Bath, and a female attendant will be stationed there at the opening of next season : the coccrete in the ladies' baths has been relaid nnd arrangements have been made for the better lighting of the whole establi hment in future." That is about the position at present Instead of that, how-ev-r, Dr MacGregor by his report lowers the status of the place in the minds of the public and sfiows that ho is entirely ignorant of what, has been going on since his hist visit to koforuu. The whole document is in keeping with that of last ye;>r in which lie recommended that a comprehensive scheme should bo formula ted providing

for the erection of tourist accommodation at Waiotapu, Tokaanu and Ora-kei-korako As we then remarked it would be the more sensible course to perfect the existing 1 system than embark, in such a wholesale enterprise as L>r MacGregor then indicated.

In alluding to the 3anitary condition of the town Dr MucGrcgor in liis report states that a comprehensive drainage scheme is required to prevent Kotorua becoming a focus of typhoid fever. It is now seme weeks ago since tho Mini-ter of Lands stated in the House that an engineer was t hen at Kotorua preparing plans and specifications and a scheme for the purpose of drainage. It is true that this information was vouchs:fed in reply to a question, and usage i<llowr the utmost latitude to Ministers in such cases. speaking, however, there is a soupg-ui of fact in Ministerial utterances, and we looked for the speedy arrival of the engineer spoken of to put drainage matters in training. So far we have been disappointed, and as there is every indication of the " season " opening earlier than tho position is becoming critical. Money has been made avnilableforthelayingout of the geyser area at Whakarewarewa—a very laudable undertaking—but it is perfectly plain that sanitary measure- should have precedence. In May last' the Town Board asked for a sum of £950 in order to procued with a system of open drainage and tacked 011 to the request a rider to tho effect that unless the sum were granted tho Board would not ; ccept any future responsibility in connection with tho sanitary state of the town. By declining to grant tho sum asked for the Government assumed the responsibility and a very serious charge will have to be answer ed if the initiatory steps aro much longer delayed. There i one branch of the sauitiry arrangements, however, in which the Town Board can take decisive action. Wo refer to the institution of a proper night service. Some time ago a very exhaustive report was received from Mr McArthur, engineer to tho Ohinernuri County, indicating tlio course which the Board should take in establishing Mich a service, and there should be no longer any delay in its introduction. The Board should not bo deterred from proceeding in tho matter through any fear tlint their action may clash with the more comprehensive scheme oi. drainage promised by the Government, if their reluctance is 011 that account the notification of their intention to move would probably rouse tiie Government from its state of lethargy. Tueauri sacra fames—the cursed thirst for gold—has parched the throats of this small community and all the talk now is of leaders and lodes,-and mundic and mica. Every second man you meet has a yarn to spin about a reef in the ranges, and specimens, over which a sovereign has been judiciously scraped, are shown, critically examined, and pronounced worthless by the " experts" who have suddenly uprisen amongst us. Mining news from neighboring districts, formerly looked upon as insipid reading, hns acquired a fresh interest, and the pros and cons .of reefing operations at Te Puke and Wailii are discussed with as much interest as if we were in the " thick of tho swim." We have 110 wish, however, to disparage the doings of the newly projected Prospecting Association. Far from it The old ideas in regard to the strata 111 which gold may he found have long since exploded. Here, in the north island, the country rock where auriferous lodes are found comprise audesite, porphyry, tufa and trachyte, the latter being a volcanic rock, confusedly agglomerated, such as is seen at Ilorolioro. Tufa is al:so,a rock of volcanic formation. It is well to note that lodes found in either of these classes of country rock may run in any direction. In India gold-bearing lodes run through the inetamorpliic rocks and also occur in gneiss and quartzite ; in Nevada, 111 limestone which lias undergone a change since its original deposition ; in California in granite, flanked by various kinds of schists; in Mexico lodes are found between the junction of clay slate and conglomerate. In Victoria tho reefs are found in conjunction with the mica schists and slates, and also the clay sliit.es. In Queensland, it may be as well to note, gold is found at tho great Mount Morgan mine, in a siliceous sinter apparently deposited by the action of hot springs. 111 short, it is impossible to say where gold may not be found, and ior that season we trust that the Prospecting Association will continue its work until the existence or non-existence of payable stone in this locality is placed beyond a doubt,