The Traveller.

Southern Cross, Volume 5, Issue 45, 12 February 1898, Page 11

The Traveller.

(By Wanderer.)

IE AROHA.

Prior to the arrival of the festive season the chief topic in society was ‘ Where shall we spend our holidays ?’ and as this island is far ahead of the south for pleasure resorts it was a topic of some moment. I had narrowed down my choice till I had to choose between Auckland, Rotorua and Te. Aroha, and as my holiday was to be a limited one 1 selected Te Aroha. This Lovely Little Town nestles at the base of a mountain from which the place has derived its name. Te Aroha mountain is 3500 ft. above sea level, and is easy of ascent, because of the convenient zig-zag tracks cut up its sides for the convenience of tourists and pleasureseekers. Shorn the summit of the mountain is obtainable one of the most beautiful landscape views to be had in the whole length and breadth of New Zealand. The Sinuous, Shining Stream, the Waihou, which flows past the town, the banks of which are covered with willows, is a delightful sight. Then the little town of Te Aroha, and the beautiful plains that lie beyond it towards Morrinsville make one think that we are gazing on an earthly paradise ‘ where only man is vile.’ At a place where the pleasant medicinal waters gushed from the earth at the base of the ‘ Mountain of Love,’ is built the town. It owes its origin to the presence of gold in the mountains—gold that has been of a too evanescent nature, and when the mining area dwindled down to a few spots above Waiorongomai, the springs secured the continuance of the town, and now there are some splendid tracts of agricultural and pastoral country in its vicinity. The chief attraction of Te Aroha, for visiters, is its Hot Springs, and tourists come from great distances to drink the mineral waters, or enjoy the hoc baths. ■ The natural temperature of the waters ranges from 90 to 120 degrees, though the ample supply of cold water enables one to make the bath according to his liking. The baths are situated in the Domain, and are roofed over with serviceable houses. There are also plenty of seats all through the Domain and waters of all kinds to drink from—hot mineral waters to pure ice-cold water. There is a fine tennis court in the grounds and on Sunday evenings and occasional week day evenings the band discourses music of good quality. There are seven Bath Houses, but many improvements are being made to the internal arrangements, by which their usefulness will be greatly increased. The most noticeable building stands on a little plateau in the Domain and is to be a private bath house. There is also a fine building at the entrance, which contains the board room, the caretaker’s office, a ladies’ waiting room, and a large reading room and library, for the convenience of visitors, and is evidently appreciated by them judging from the many I saw taking their seats in it during my visit. There is a splendid cold water bath constructed of concrete, 73£t. by 33ft, with a sloping bottom, giving a depth of water varying from three to seven feet, which can when required be increased to from five to nine feet. It is surrounded by a lofty corrugated iion fence, and is provided with all the necessary conveniences, such as dressing rooms, etc. This is a popular resort during the summer months, as many prefer the privacy bf the bath to the publicity of the river. That Te Aroha has a future as a sanatorium 1 cannot doubt, for statistics prove that it is growing in public favour, and deservedly so, for in my wanderings I have seldom seen a place so bountifully blessed by Nature, or so pleasantly situated for one who

Delights in Doing Nothing. The town itself is not a gigantic oue, as there are only three hotels in it, but they are good ones, but private hotels or hoarding houses are thick as leaves in "Vallorabrosa, and are cleanly kept and civilly conducted. There are no public works of any kind, and the farmers in the vicinity are chiefly of the cow-spanking variety, and there is a creamery in the district. I visited Waiorongomat, distant about three miles from Te Aroha, and saw there the evidences of a past. Once this town was a thriving go-ahead place, now ic is a quiet hamlet. There are mines being worked in its vicinity, but just at present 1 know of none that can be called bullion producers. To my mind the hills are well worth prospecting, and should the hyperphoric treatment of the ore, by the Rev. J. Campbell, of Te Aroha, turn success, it may yet become a great mining district. That it will eventually be a wonderful farming district is certain, and were it the two combined I know of no place on this sublunary sphere in which I would rather live than in Te Aroha. I drove out to Mokhtnsvillb, a little country town distant about 14 miles. In transit we crossed a sluggish stream, the Waitoa, and the extra sluggish Piako, and I saw for the first time part of the rauch-talked-of Piako Swamp, It may be called a swamp, now but in a fery few years it will be verdant meadows. The diive to Morrinsville is a delightful one, along a white pumice road, beautifully level. The land reminded me of the Edendale district, in Southland, except the parts which are not yet cleared, and I saw no land in the South I could compare them to. They are covered with ti-tree as thickly as it can grow, and such a thing as a tussock is not to be seen. That I could have enjoyed myself better J am certain had I had with me a bonnie lassie to point out the beauties of the landscape that escaped the eyes of ‘ Wanderer.’