TAUPO.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 211, 19 December 1896, Page 2

TAUPO.

[i'RO>r our owx coitrtrcsToxnEXT.] We linfl a flying visit last, week | from Mr W. MeCauley fof the coaching firm of Orowt her and MeCanlov) who has taken tlio coaching service betweou Pipiriki and Waioru. ITo | informs mo that there need be no fear j of the sfpnmer from "VVanganui f \i]• ! ingtorenCh lier destination at Pipiriki, this summer as the river w-is in flood last week and the engineprinsr operations in the way of blasting etc., in the river have greatly improved navigation. Mr MeCauley also informs me that the road road round Tongariro is covered to a depth of about two inches with dust emitted from Te Mure—somelittle anxiety is felt at tli e continued action of i !ils immense fnmerole. The chances exist of a split in the ground toward | Lake l\oi«>air;i v.iiiuli might flic water in. Tliert results might bejobtained to which flie Tarawera' Eruption would be a very small circilmstanee. So long, however, as the vent remains open no fears need be entertaiu- . ed. I hear that rtii' Auckland gentleman aseelided Tongariro on —the! first since the Te Mare eruption. ! Certainly thero was a survey party j in the vieiiiity of tire eruption when j i't first blew up, but they were unable j to impart any reliable information re- j gafding it when they leached Tokaanu' as they came down at a rate which tho champion sprinter might envy. They certainly stood not ort tho order of their going but went at once. Mi'iCli dissatisfaction is felt at the unsatisfactory progress of the AVniotnpu Taiipej roitd. It is now three months since a survey party commenced to lay off the road from Ohalei to Wairakei and at the present rate of progress it will be three years before a coach runs over it—This is tlio more annoying because tho amount of money already expended would have been sufficient to complete a road from Taupo to ()haki on the right bank of the river AVaikato. Two experienced roadmen could have done this without, the expensive prelitnin-

Aries which have given, up to the pre= sent only barren results—l am aware that the Government desires to include Wairakei hut an alternative route which could he so cheaply constructed does not appear !u have received due consideration. Notwithstanding the efforts of the Eahit Inspector to clear the district of rabbits it is feared that winter poison, ing will have to he resorted to. If this becomes necessary a great hardship will be inflicted upon the natives who rely for their meat supply on their pigs which ronm the plains. The drought shows no sign of breaking up mid grave fears are entertained for the potato crop->. The lato sharp frosts denuded the trees of fruit so tlint those who depend upon their produce for a living have every cause to be apprehensive. Another parcel of stone from the Kaimannwa Tianges has been sent to the Bank of New Zealand Auckland for analysis. Mr Gallagher's Lake House Hotel had a narrow escape from being the scene of a serious conflagration the other night. One of the bedrooms upstairs caught fire near the washstand it is surmised through a match head firing off after being struck and smouldering on one of the towels. Fortunately a visitor saw tho siroke and giving tho alarm the fire was extinguished before much damage was done. The Maori election is occupying the attention of tho natives at, present. Taupo, December 1-1, 189(3.