ROTORUA REVISITED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14587, 25 January 1911, Page 8

ROTORUA REVISITED.

" PHENOMENAL DEVELOPME NT."

FRUITS OF A WISE POLICY.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Tuesday. "During my absence in the North," said Mr. D. McLaren, M.P., to an interviewer to-day, " I put in a fortnight at Botoraa, about 10 days in Auckland, and also visited Patea. I was very much interested in the phenomenal development of Rotorua, for I had not been there for about 15 years. The growth of the town is, in my opinion, a demonstration that a wise policy was pursued in making it, at least for a time, a State township. It is referred to property as ' the town without rates,' and is a standing example of the wisdom of the land national isers' policy. The town is kept going through the rents of the land, which is the property of the State. State control has resulted in the creation of a, township of wide thoroughfares, decked with foliage, and beautiful streets. , Under private control of the land we might have had what wo see in many other towns throughout New Zealandthe packing of certain areas densely with houses, leaving no room for wide streets. I think that the Hon. George Fowlds, in speaking on his return to Auckland, voiced ; the truth when ho said that what is urgently needed in this country is a general policy of town-planning. In the case of Rotorua,. it can be still further extended. A great deal has yet to be done in the matter of lighting and in the formation of streets and footpaths, whilst in the summer time the scoria, of which the streets are mostly formed, provides plenty of dust." Mr. McLaren doubted the wisdom of spending something like £35,000 on tho new bath-houses, owing to their proximity to the mud flats, and he could not feel sure of the security of the foundations. It would have been better, he said, if more money had been spent on the other bath-houses. He did not think visiters looked so much to find spas, but would prefer the decent accommodation which is well provided at Rotorua. He had read a number of comments'^the effect that the Government might well spend a few pounds. in marking off by tablets or boards the various geysers, mudholes, and snrings. * - Like the Mayor, (Mr. Wilford), Mr. McLaren found there was a good deal of complaint existing with respect to the administration of matters relating to fishing. In conversation wifli some of the educated Maoris at Ohinemutu, lie learned that they also had strong complaints on the ground that the Government was netting fish, while their grievance was that they were noT allowed to net and sell the trout they caught.