TE AROHA HOT SPRINGS,

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 13 November 1890, Page 15

TE AROHA HOT SPRINGS,

(Continued.)

There are "public " baths of every temperature, some of whioh are exclusively for tha use of the ladies, othors are used by both ladies and gentlemen at different hours of the day • some are merely warm, and others so hot that it requires practice to bd able to remain in them. The new comers will often plunge oarelessly in, and then make a great soramble to pret out again, vowing they are cooked alive. Eaah bath is furnished with a cold shower bath, and many bathers have mugs, and keep pouring cold water on the head whilst in extremely hot baths. All the publio baths are "swim baths." There are also "private" baths— these are single baths fitted with two taps, one of oold and the other of boiling hot water; these the oocupant empties when he leaves by pulling up a plug, and fills to any temperature he ploaßes when he is undressing-. Each bather is furnished with a Beparate key and certain baths are reserved for those wh<> have any skin disorder, and in oases where> this existß to any perceptible extent be is con- . fined to one bath and no one else is given hi& key. The greatest oare is taken by a watchful board and very rospootable and careful employes on tha premises, to avoid any disagreeable feeling on this or any other soore. Amongst the several springs of various qualities there is a strong sulphur one, very useful for skin complaints. Tho pump room ia a pretty octagon, with the pump in the centra and seats all rouud. it i 8i 8 on a little hill, and has a fine extensive view. Up tho slope all day may be seen invalids walking slowly and resting often, and others carrying bottleß briskly up for the benefit of lame frienda below. If any one wants to make acquaintances he has only to go to the pump room and aßk the person next him what ha thinks of the curative properties of tbe water. Then will follow a dreary ac.cou.nt of aches and pains and a reference, to the place from whence tba patient oame, and it will be hard indeed if you do not stumble on friends and acquaintances Most undoubtedly tbe hot water cure is a pood oure for rheumatism ; there is no question as to its efflcaoy at Te Aroba, Whether tbe water taken inwardly doea any good or not is another question. But one thing is certain— every one of the invalids think so, and it "in good gear that pleases the merchant." What strikes a visitor most is the number of old people limping, more or less, always some with a Btiok, and some on orutches, with a towel over their arm, and every one of them (however old) thoroughly convinced that they are going to be cured, and never imagining that the fact of having passed the three soore and ten—some of them bymany years— will be any bar to their perfeot oure. Another curious feature is to see parties of ladies walking along to and fro in the domain, accompanied by gentlemen carrying bottles with brands of whiskyß, brandies &c, in plain view, and the oorks out as if all ready to administer a dose to their fair friends at a moment's notice, whereas they only contain the mineral water, whioh is more likely to be emptied out by-and-bye on the quiet. Tbe surroundings of Ta Aroha (whioh by the way meaua " Love ") are very pretty. There is a fine view, even a magnificent one, from the top of the mountain for those who dan climb it, and a very pretty waterfall within easy reach, whioh it is tha correct thing to photograph. Then there is very romantic scenery at Waiorongomai, and a mine aqd battery, to which a 'bus and a oab ta-ie visitors. There are good roadß and saddle .horses and buggies in plenty at reasonable rates, and a river with row boats to let on hire. A^ library, two newspapers, a musio hall, churohes, and. bo on. In returning a visitor can have a variety by going down the river to Paeroa by 3teamboat, and then either to Auckland direct or to the Thamea, and thence to Auckland Or he can take the coach to Paeroa, in which case h& will paBB through tho beautiful and romantic Rotokubu Gorge. He can there visit some splendid ecenory, and ace the gold mines ,of Waihi, &o , or he can continue straight on by coach, and reaoh the Thames the same night. The .'road, howarer, between Paeroa and the Thamea is aninteresting, whereau the river is or>? of the most beautiful and varied in New Zealand. The writer had the pleasure of meeting one of Mr M'Glashan's sons, of Dunedin at Te Aroha last summer, and is now giving theae particulars for tbe benefit of such of hie old townies (himself being a Dunedin man) as maybe suffering from rheumatism and inclined tovisit the Nortb. Many cases are known where, patients had to be carried and placed in 'cba baths, and who completely reoovered. One case occurred when the writer and Mr .M'.Glaßhan, of I)uuadin, were there of a lady who went r>ainfully or> crutchea, and laid them aside after a while. Another old man who has 'ived there for 10 years, and still walks with a stick, cannot walls at all if ha leave- off ths 'oaths, and has to remain prisoner at Te Aroha all his life. At the sanio time oare is wanted, as many persons have made their cases 10 times worse by getting cold after leaving the veryhot baths, and persons suffering from weak constitutions, consumption, &0., make a greafc mistake in resorting to hot baths of any kind. They are too relaxing, and should be used only for rheumatism end skin dißeaaes, otherwise the fine fresh air from tbe mountain, the dry poil, and the cheerful company and pleasant Furroundings ate a great benefit to an invalid und a relaxation, to the wearied business man. INVALID*

Granger, the railway employe, who attempted suicide at the Rimutaka Summit last week, has been discharged, the benoh refusing to sUow his wife to give evidenoe t