IN TOURIST TERRITORY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1717, 25 January 1905, Page 16

IN TOURIST TERRITORY

THE WONDERS OF THE NORTH. RARE SIGHTS FOR TRAVELLERS’ EYES. Mr 0. R. C. Robieson, ActingSuperintendent of Tourist Resorts, spent his Christmas holidays gmnmg a closer acquaintance with those places in the North Island which throughout the year it is his duty to keep in touch with. The tourist traffic is increasing by leaps and bounds, and with the eiforts the department is putting forth in Mr Donne’s sojourn at the Sr. Louis Exhibition, his present visit to England, and the advertising that is being done m Australia, America and England, together with the greater faculties that are being provided every year in trans-ocean travel, it may be expected that the traffic will become no inconsiderable factor in the future of New Zealand.

Recognising that a personal visit to the weird district in the North would be invaluable to him in his work, Mr Robieson made a tour through the thermal region, returning by way of the Wanganui river. Mr Robieson proceeded overland via Taihape to Lake Taupo. By this route the tourist may now reach Wellington from Taupo in exactly two days. The road from Taihape (where the train is abandoned) to Waioru was in a very bad condition on account of heavy rains. Th re was evidence, however, that they were rapidly drying up, and by this time should be good for travelling. After a night at Tauno Mr Robie-rn continued on to Wairakei, where Mrs Griertson’s accommodation house was found in a congested condition, the “overflow” of guests having to jiut up with tent room. ORAIvEIK OR AK O.

From there by an indifferent road he coached to Orakeikorako, a Government scenic reserve, little known at present, but destined to he a show-place of importance in the near future. At Orakeikorako may be seen a replica, in a minor degree of the lost glories of the famous White Terrace, deep-buried in the Tarawera eruption, there being a beautiful terrace of dazzling white silica, the finest of its kind in New Zealand. There is also a wonderful cave at Orakeikorako', with floor, roof and walls of alum. There is an accommodation house only six miles away on a good road at Atiamuri, and the total distance to Rotorua twenty-seven miles—can be covered by motor-car in two hours and a half. AT ROTORUA.

On arrival at Rotorua, Mr Robieson found the little town full of tourists and holiday-makers, and it was a matter of extreme difficulty to find accommodation either in hotel or boardinghouse. During a. short stay he did “the round trip,” visiting Lakes Rotomahana and Taratvera, on which the new Government oil launches are giving every satisfaction. Ihe traffic over this side-trip has been somewhat a.ifeeted by the silence of Waimangu geyser, but the trip is novel and interesting. A surprise to the tourist official was a motor-car visit paid to a trio of adjacent lakes known as R-o----toiti. Rotoehu, and Rotoma. These are described as entrancingly beaut ful examples of “Nature’s pearls,” in gorgeous setting of virgin forest. The farthest extent of the farthest lake— Rotoma.—is but twenty-eight miles from Rotorua, and the run can be made by motor-car in two hours. The motorcar companies are awak : ng to the attraction existing in these lakes, and intend pushing the “Rotos trip” in the future. Some parts of the lakes are said to be every bit as beautiful as Waikaremoana, and the numerous little bay®, with stretches of fine grey sand fringing their shores, form idyllic retrfcats for picnicking and camping out. Te Aroha was also as full as it could hold Avith holiday visitors, and the wellknown health resort was looking i*s brightest and gayest at New Year. WONDERFUL WAITOMO. From Te Aroha Mr Robieson proceeded to Auckland, and came south again through the Waikato Valley. He left the train at H/vngitiki for Waitomo, where the caves are. It is a six m'les drive to the accommodation house, which was full of guests. Three minutes’ walk takes one to the wonderful Waitomo cave, where the cheap but essential wax vesta reveals marble palaces with massive colonnades and glistening milky-white pillars, and a glorious stalactitic ceiling that Wunderlicht in all his wisdom failed to imagine. Blanket cave is a chamber which has the appearance of being hung with white tapestries whoso folds thrOAV back brilliant opaline flashes as the light is moved from place to place. The Organ cave is a stalagmitie marvel. A peculiar thing has happened durthe late Avet season in this cave. Owing to the phenomenally rainy season or the unaccountable blocking of the water-

courses through the caves the lower chambers have been filled, and some of the upper chambers partly filled, with water. This flooding of tlie cave had brought up silt and mud, besmirching the stalactites to an aggravating extent. Such an occurrence has never been known before in the white mans history of these subterranean palaces. THE NEW CAVE. Something is known of Waitomo, but practically nothing nas been heard of the recently-discovered cave at Ruakuri (dog’s hole), some six miles away. As it is hoped the time is not far distant when these caves will be properly exploited by the Government, Mr Robieson made a careful inspection of as much of the Ruakuri cave as was possible, and even that little astonished him. In the first place, the cave is distinctly different in character from that of Waitomo. In the latter the formation is on a grand, massive and heavy scale, which seems to indicate tint it is very many centuries since Maui fished the North Island up from the depths of the ocean. The name Ruakuri was probably given the new cave owing to the appearance of the entrance. The cave has a hole-like entrance, and inside, where the root immediately becomes lofty, the formation is of dirty brown rock. After advancing about ten chains into the earth’s bowels, a chasm only 2ft Gin in width crosses the cave, while between 20ft and 30ft below, in its black, gruesome depths, rushes a subterranean river, the roar of which effectually prevents cen,versation. There is no stepping across the chasm and going on, for the caves there branch in different directions, baton glancing to the left an underground waterfall can be seen pouring a volume of inky fluid into an appalling-looking chasm. This chasm and waterfall at present prevent the exploration of about another mile of cave, for, though if is known where the water enters the ground that flows through the rent in

he cave, access is debarred from the outside world. Turning more acutely to the left, the cave proper is entered, and here is seen the great difference between Ruakuri and Waitomo. Here all is delicateness and slender grace. Fr. >m the dair o ceiling hang stalactites several yards in length and of uniform width, not much stouter than a lead pencil. These are hollow, the formation itself being as thin as paper. To touch one of these means its destruction, so brittle and fragile is the mysterious growth. From most of these sticks of stalactite the water drips steadily and evenly. The cave is evidently in its infancy, but the delicacy and refined beauty of the stable- rie pendants and lustres is said to beggar description.

Mr Robieson made the trip to Wet lington via the Wanganui river, and peaks enthusiastically of the beau 13- of the upper reaches. The trip downstream from Taumaranui he considers one that every New Zealander should make. TRIUMPH OF THE' MOTOR-CAR. Mr Robieson .states that the motorcar is revolutionising travelling in the Rotorua district. Trips that formerly occupied a Avhole day can uoav be comfortably accomplished in half the time. Ocasionallv, person® make the trip from Rotorua to Waixakei and hack —a hunds-ed-mile run—in a day. Durng Christina® week a cor belonging to one of the companies at Rotorua travelled between Taupo and Napier (a th.ee days’ coaching journey) in ten and a half hours’ actual running time.