Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY SEPT, 14 1903 OUR LOCAL SANATORIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9847, 14 September 1903, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY SEPT, 14 1903 OUR LOCAL SANATORIA.

In a recent article we pointed out the importance to this district of Hie opening up of road communication, with Lake Waikaremoaim, and the likelihood of a considerable tourist traffic coming this way m the event of proper facilities and inducements being offered. Amongst the inducements should certainly be the development of the Hot Springs at Morere. \ Undoubtedly many tourists going to or from Lake Waikaremoana would call at Morere and enjoy the baths tliere, if the baths were m anything like decent order, and not n few would be sure to find their way on to Gisborne. Gisborne has, further, a greater interest m Morere Hot Springs beyowd the prospective tourist traffic that they may assist m developing. They are our best and most easily accegsible local sanatorium, a pleasure and health resort to which m greatly-increasing numbers Poverty Bny residents will De sure to go. The bnneticial effects of the healing waters have already been testified to by many, and with such valuable springs at our very doors Gisborne people have no need to go away to Rotorua and other distant health resorts to recuperate. It is necessary, however, if the springs are to become popular and useful and to fill the high purpose for which Nature has evidently designed them that they should be surrounded with the. ordinary decencies and comforts of civilisation! Year after year for some years- past we have drawn attention to the .need for the erection, of a bath-house and the proper development of the springs. Expert 'after expert lias been sent by the Government, and probably as much spent m travelling allowances as would pay for a decent bath-house ; a sum of money voted by Parliament has been standing on the Estimates for some years ; and yet nothing is done. The conditions of the springs remain almost as they were a few months after they were discovered and the accommodation is altogether inadequate for the greatly-increasing number of visitors. There is no protection or privacy except such as is afforded by a few rough slabs, and the baths are small and unsuitable. A local engineer has guaranteed to take the hot water down the creek to the proposed site for a, bath-nouse M'ithout the loss of three degrees of temperature, so that tliere is no engineering difficulty m the way of affording suitable bathing facilities. "The Government has been approached privately and by petition about this matter, but another season is now upon us without the slightest improvement haying been made. We understand that the reason for inaction is that the Government feel that by spending money upon the property and making Morere more attractive they will be simply putting money into the pockets of the holder of the lease. Inat may be a very proper stand to take but we would point out that whilst the present deadlock continues the public interests are suffering, *nd the district's development as a health resort is being kept back. It is the duty of the Government to come to some equitable arrangement on the matter. We understand that offers have been made by the present proprietors which would give the Government the opportunity \>f taking the springs and accommodation house into their own hands. This, if the terms are fair, should certainly be done. A Government accommodation house is to be run at Waikaremoana, and one mitrht very well be established at Morere Under the control of the /Tourist Department these houses would be certain to he capably and successfully managed. A filreat mistake was made m hartering the lease of these Morere Hot Springs, and we. regret that that mistake was repeated m .a very much worse form m connection with the Waipiro Hot Springs. In both transactions a grave injustice has been done to the people of this district, and we would uri?e upon, the Government through the Native Minister the propriety of rectifying the wrong that has been done, by terminating the present leases »pon the best ter&is possible, and placing the sanatoria under direct State control.