ROTORUA DISTRICT.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19050, 14 September 1933, Page 6

ROTORUA DISTRICT.

NATIVE VILLAGES. IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE. ROTORUA, Thursday. The growth of the community -spirit has been strikingly exemplified during the past few months among the natives -of Whakarewarewa and Ohinemutu villages, where comprehensive Improvement schemes are being undertaken and carried out by the native residents with the support of the Rotorua Borough Council and the Government Tourist Department. At Whakarewarewa a fund has been accumulated to finance the work and this will be further increased during the holiday months when Maori guides will -pay a levy -on each guiding fee collected. A number of buildings in the Whaka Pa have been repainted and renovated, walks and paths have been tidied up and planting Is been carried -out with native shrubs. An old wooden bridge at the spout baths has been replaced by a pathway edged with rocks, and the diving pool has been edged with a rock wall. Carved fences are als-o to he erected throughout the pa, and it Is hoped In a number of directions to give the village a more typically Maori appearance. Similar plans are proposed nl Ohinemutu, where the same amount of work will not be required, as this village has been better cared for in the oast than Whakarewarewa. It has been felt for some time that the appearance of Whakarewarewa particularly, was not In keeping with the best traditions of the Maori race, ami that a bad Impression was created upon the tourists bv the condition of the pa.