SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9334, 27 January 1892, Page 2

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Auckland, January 26. ROTORUA SANATORIUM.

The Government have determined that the Rotorua Sanatorium shall not be used as a home for incurables. The medical officer has informed the Auckland Charitable Aid Board that in future no patient would be admitted unless he brought a medical certificate. Any person suffering from an incurable disease would be sent home again, either at his own cost or the cost of the board. THE PERMANENT ARTILLERY. x There is very general dissatisfaction at Fort Takapuna, where the permanent force are quartered, at a recent order which has been put in force for a dress parade on Sunday, with a non-commissioned officer to march the men to the principal churches at North Shore. Their small privileges in other respects, such as obtaining leave on Saturdays and the use of plain clothes, are reported as seriously curtailed. It is rumoured that the "new departure" is the result of instructions from the defence authorities in Wellington. THE STRATFORD ROUTE. The Herald special reporter, with the Stratford route party, describing the country from the point of divergence of the Stratford route from the central line to the entrance of the bush, says:—"We camped two miles down the Stratford road, travelling a road which is well graded for a distance of six miles, about two miles down the Ongaruhe we found a change in the nature of the country, and here we appeared to have left the region of pumice. The fern lost its stunted, look, and the koromiko and flax growing amongst it was most luxuriant. Here_ also the weed known in the north as ' konig's weed,' and so common in the grass paddocks at Pukekohe, was as tall as our horses, and the thistles and docks equally indicated the character of the soil. Soon after the better country was reached, we entered the bush country, still following down the Ohura, crossing rich flats heavily timbered or ascending low ridges, as the tracks led us, but the high land appeared to be equally as rich as the flats below, and taking a bird's-eyo view of the country from any elevated position it appeared to partake of the same character as far as the, eye can reach. On the south bank of the river there is not so much flat land and the ridges appeared much higher. The party followed the river Ohura to Toitoi, where we crossed it on a bridge some miles below the proposed railway crossing, having to do so as the river is not fordable at any place. - The land all the^ way down is first class, that along the river being quite level from the river bed: On one occasion a high hill was ascended in the hope of obtaining a view of the country at the back, but the fern was fully eight feet high,and the object could not be obtained. Briefly stated, the country from a point about 10 miles from the Stratford connection is much better than we expected to find it. "