SOME REMINISCENCES.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 194, 19 August 1896, Page 2

SOME REMINISCENCES.

A Chat with Capt. Tuhner. Capt. A. B. Turner, road engineer for the Wellington district, hits within the past few days heen on a visit to Rotorua, after an absence of many years. Under Capt. Turner's auspices most of the surveying and road-making in this quarter was carried out, notably the routes between here and Tauranga, and in the direction of Taupo as far as the Wuikato river at Atiamuri. He had previously, in IKG7, made the trig survey from Maketu and Whakatanc to Rotorua. He erected trig stations on Ruawahia and also on Tarawera—the latter was, of course, subsequently destroyed at the time of the eruption. " In regard to Ruawahia," said Capt. Turner, "an incident occurred which confirmed the natives i in their superstitious ideas in regard to the deities who are supposed to have their abiding places on the mountain-tops. On ascending to take observations, and when near the summit, the natives objected to go any further stating that the ground was tapu. Urged to proceed the} - de- , posited their kai on the ground and conjured us to do likewise for that otherwise the atua would be angry and hide the mountain in a cloud. Knowing that a naturally healthy appetite would be stimulated by the mountain air I disobeyed the injunction and carried and my luncheon with me. Strange to say befoie we reached the top we were enveloped in a cloud of mist which hung about for an hour or two. The natives looked derisively at the pnkehas who had dared to doubt the omnipotence of their atua. After a time, however, wo succeeded in getting the sights required." " That winter," continued Capt. Turner, " it was cither 'CT or '6B, was an exceptionally mild one ; there was no rain to speak of and the frosts were not severe. Wo did not lose more than four days in the month and carried on the work right through. It was on this occasion that I made myself acquainted , with Lake Rotomahana and the glorious Pink and White Terraces for the first time. The Terraces were indescribably beautiful—the AVhite especially so. On it were the favorite baths, as there the silica was smoother than in the pools of the Pink Terrace. Pictures which I have seen give but a faint idea of the magnitude of the Terraces : some of the buttress shaped ledges towered up to twice a man's height. The water in the pools on the various ledges was a beautiful blue, such as is shown in Mr Blomfield's pictures which approach the reality very closely. At the top of the White Terrace there was a large basin full of water of a deep azure color. This boiled up violently under certain conditions, and frequently threw np columns of water to a height of 60ft. Mr Spencer and his family were then living at Wairoa. I also visited Whakarcwarewa at this time. The geysers there were then very active. In fact, coming from Tauranga, the steam of these geysers could be seen as soon as wo emerged from the Mangorewa Bush. Rotorua as a town had then, of course, no existence. At Ohinemutu travellers could get a whare to sleep in, and that was all. A year or two alterwards, about IS7O, Harry Katera opened a wharemanuhiri (guest-house) on the banks of the Utulnna stream. It was in that year wo started to lay off the Tauranga-Rotorua road. I was then in charge of the East Coast Native Contingent. Te Kooti had previously been on the war-path, and

Col. Fraser had received instructions to go to Eotorua for the- purpose of intercepting liiru. I joined Col. Fraser at Eotorua and was ordered to proceed in the direction of Tauranga with the Coi - stal ralary and Native Contingent. G n the other side of the Maugorewa Bush Te Koeti had laid an ambuscade aud fired upon upon and killed three of our men. They then retreated and gettii g on our outward track went back in the direction of Eotorua where they were met by Capt, Mair who made a good account of them. Te Kooti's whole fort a then fell back into the Urewera country and my party went down to Ohiwa for the purpose of entering from that point. We were, however, recalled which was perhaps as well, for we would have got a rough handling in that inhospitable country. "This concluded my military duties," continued Capt. Turner, "and I then went on with the survey of the RotoruaTauranga road. This was carried 0 n under covering parties and stockades were erected at Various points. AVhon the survey was completed my old C< ntingent was sent up to start the formation at this end. At. first these were the only natives employed ; they belonged to the Ngatipukeko and Ngatiawa. At Awahou, where we were at work, the natives were all Hauhaus and kept aloof. I had been instructed to give them work if they wanted it, but they made no sign until their cupidity was aroused by seeing their countrymen in the Contingent drawing their monthly pay regularly. This tempted them and they asked for work which, after a little delay, was given them. Their Hauhauism then ceased. I continued to supervise the whole work from Tauranga to Atiamuri. The surveyors under mo were Messrs Haig aud Mitchell. I think it was in 187-i that I made the first buggy trip through from Tauranga. Messrs Quick and C. O. Davis were with me, and we went right through to Taupo. The only difficulty experienced was in crossing the Waititi, where the bridge was not completed. We laid some planks over the joists and crossed safely. There was a redoubt near Atiamuri, called Niho-o-te Kiore (Rat's Tooth) about a mile up the Waikato river, and another at Taupo. There was a store at Taupo kept by Cartwright Brown. During the time I had charge of the roads in this district the Wairoa road was made and I am surprised that no steps have been taken to restore it since the eruption. I also surveyed a road from Galatea to Ahikcroru, (To Whaiti) and some of the surveyors who have been there lately tell me that they came on my old pegs. "Even in the days before the Tauranga road was opened" continued Capt. Turner, " people who could manage to sit on a horse came to Eotorua by way of Maketu for the baths, there being a fair road between that place and Tauranga. When the coaches began to conic through the Bush tourists flocked hj., and I am told that these were ' roaring days ' for Eotorua. Now that lam here again I can only look with pleasure at theimi provements that have taken place and hope that the town will continue to progress steadily towards its destiny- -that of being the Health Resort of the World !" Captain Turner left for Tauranga on Monday, and after a short stay there, he returns to Wellington, via Auckland