OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10199, 3 January 1895, Page 2

OPUNAKE.

[from our own correspondent.] January 2. — As promised in a recent letter, I will now give full particulars of • Mr Knowles' Opunake Hotel, he having " enlarged it, making it second to none. Mr Sam Prosser opened the place which, at T that time, was large enough to serve tha purpose. After some time he sold out to> Mr Knawles, who, with Mrs Knowies,, soon found that the business was so good! 3, that some alterations were necessary, n They accordingly set Messrs Christie & k . Co. at work, who soon renovated a good! . c part of the bar accommodation, fixing up. a circular counter, -with partitions, &c, which reflected much credit on them. Mr ie and Mrs Knowles still found their business increasing so rapidly and soundly that they were warranted in enlarging tho hotel. The additions and alterations are: *» a new portion, with 38 feet frontage by 19 36 feet in depth, thus making the total I. frontage to the main street 73 feet. The. 's main entrance is in the centre of the c front. Just inside a pair of glass swing doors opens into a very spacious hall ; fr ü m this hall to the left is a passage leading to the dining-room, reading-room, and private parlour ; to the right ia another passage giving access to the bar, which is stocked with the best of liquors i 0 and smokes. Mr Knowles is a first-class - judge of liquor, and in his own person \ reflects credit on it, as he is not one of ' Pharoah's lean kine. Mrs Knowles looks 0 quite homely behind the bar, and her : - genial diposition, sociability and motherly c manner, make the place appear like a '- home to all. There is a billiard room, „ large, airy, and well lighted, furnished ,j with table by Bennett & Sons, 1 with patent cushions, &c, all in first-class ~ order. Tho bar is fitted -with the, latest ' conveniences, and tho countertop, is a. c credit to Messrs Christie & Go.- It is i- French polished, and the front is panneled g and varnished. There is a prrrata jy entrance for ladies from the main street. „ There are also separate rooms ' for the natives, so that white people are free from any interference from thorn. There is a nice roomy flight of stairs Q which rises from the hall. Upstairs 3 there are nine more bedrooms making fourteen, all roomy and lofty, ' welt d furnished in every respect, and v.cry r> comfortable ; there is a nice bathroom, ''_ and a large fire escape. Ropes are to be placed in each bedroom in case of fire. 0 The are two sitting rooms which open c into bed rooms. All the joinery was made by Messrs Christie and Co., of tbifc town, and the work is first-class.' It 1 would be superfluous to comment more on , s it ,as in no part of the colony could work be more faithfully done. Mr A. O Brien was the contractor, and Mr Ross drew the plans, &c. The contract price was " £605 but, a§ usual, some extras had to Ha v added. The paperhanging, painting, &c, was executed by Messrs Davidson • and a Gilbert, on the contractor's behalf, and fc Mr Elgar did the plumbing. Their work ,_ has been well and faithfully carried out. , Stabling has not been forgotten, for there is ample accommodation, and a good man c in charge. Mr and Mrs Knowlos' hay« '8 spared neither trouble nor expense to x make things conformable, and when it is c seen that these improvements hkve h necessitated an expenditure of some £ 1 100 „ to £1200, the public will feel satisfied their comfort will be studied. May both Mr and Mrs Knowles find their business " wan-ant this expenditure, as they have " great faith in the future of this district, c Mr Pettigrew, who is a thoroughly practical man, represented Mr Knowles in supervision.