Our Illustrations.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 12, 22 September 1909, Page 16

Our Illustrations.

AN IMPORTANT UNDERTAKING. THE TAKAPUNA TRAMWAYS. THIS summer it will be possible for the tired person to be whisked out of the hot and dusty town in less than half an hour to the green stretches and shimmering waters of Takapuna, to think of which makes one cool and refreshed and contented. At present one has to spend an hour in boat and not too easy bus on a decidedly bumpy road, with its concomitant dust, before one can reach this de .eetable spot nestling between the pretty lake and the pohutukawa-fringed sea beach. The accelerated means of transit will be placed at the disposal of the public by the' big scheme of the Takapuna Tramway Company, formed by a number of local people for the purpose of connecting the lake and Auckland by a quick ferry and a steam tramway running from O’NeiL’s Point (where a wharf is being built), along O’Neil’s Point-road right round the lake. The line will be eight miles long. It is expected that the trip across the harbour will occupy eight and the run by tram 15 to 17 minutes. This will, of course, revolutionise the traffic, and make Lake Takapuna even more popular than it is at present. Those who know its beauties will need no reminder, but those who have yet to make their acquaintance have a treat in store. On a summer’s day it is one of the most delightful places to idle away a holiday. The views are exquisite. On one hand lies (the quiet lake in his green bowl, pretty Summer homes dotted here and there among trees, and olive-green pohutukawa hanging over the reedy lake-edge. On the other the eye wanders over the sunlit Hauraki Gulf. Old Rangitoto, a purple peak, stands sentinel at the entrance to the harbour, Motutapu, Rakino, the Noisies, and Cape Colville in tliminishing shades of blue, throw out a protecting arm to the east. In the north Whangaparaoa and Tiritiri cut the horizon, while further seaward Little Harrier is just distinguishable from being a suggestion bluer than the summer sky. Mount Hobson and one or two other of the highest peaks of the Great Barrier —the rest being hidden below the horizon —show faintly like floating amethysts of palest hue. Here and there a scow oufward bound, goose-winged to catch the soft southern breeze, fades from a thing of detail and separate sails to a mere speck, and a spludge of smoke in the Wliangaparoa Passage tells of an incoming coastal swumer. On such a day “you are glad that it is summer, you are glad that you’re alive,” and wish you could have just two minutes’ conversation with the man who made a well-worn proverb about Naples. What * pity he never saw the Hauraki Gulf! To return to our tramway, the unballasted rails of which lie skeleton-like on their sleepers at our feet on the rising ground from which we have been letting our truant gaze wander over the sun-bathed expanse of land and sea. The idea first took practical form when ten years ago Mr. Paul Hansen purchased the first concessions. To-day Takapuna is on the eve of a new era. The Lake is circled by rails except for a small bit of about four chains on the north-west corner, which was delayed, as the contractors had to wait for fine weather to put in a eulvert at Scheriff’s corner, and rails are laid on sleepers North Shorewards as far as •Burton’s Hill. From Hall’s corner right round to the back of the Lake, and halfway to Burton’s Hill, the line has been ballasted to the permanent height, and metalled with very durable-looking blue metal, which is procured quite handy to the Lake. Gangs of men are now excavating the track at Burton’s Hill, and this work has already been done right down O’Neil’s Point-road, and there only remains about a mile of formation to be done to link up this end of the line with the formation on O’Neil’s OPoint-road. About six miles of rails have been put down, leaving some two miles yet to be done. The gauge is 4ft BJin —the standard tramway gauge—and is the same as that of the Auckland •ystem. This is 14|in wider than the gauge of the New Zealand railways. The

contractors have been considerably delayed in the work of ballasting and metalling, as they reckoned upon being able to hire ortt- of the company’s engines, which was supposed to arrive here last month. At present they are employing horses to draw the trucks —three horses drawing two trucks, representing about six tons. But this is not as expeditious as they would like, and an oil tractor has been ordered. This should greatly facilitate the work. Messrs. Creagh and Higgins were the successful tenderers for the laying of the-line, the cost running into something like £II,OOO, and the company were fortunate in securing the experience of Mr. Creagh, who has been identified with all the extensions put in by the Auckland Electric Tramway Company.

A commodious barn to bouse the locomotives and cars has been erected near Hall’s corner by Mr. R. McCallum, the contract price being about £2OOO. Interesting work is in progress at O’Neil’s Point, where passengers will change from boat to car. The Harbour Board is building a ferro-concrete wharf 150 feet long, and to meet this a solid roadway, 500 feet long, is being reclaimed. The cost, which is subsidised by the company, is to be about £2OOO. Messrs. Parsons and Sons are the contractors for the first part of the reclamation, Messrs. Rhodes and Tuck for the rest, and the Harbour Board’s own men are constructing the wharf. This work should all be completed early in November, and no doubt the dredging of the channel for the steamer will be taken in hand at an early date. It should take about two months to carry out, so that unless something unforeseen happen, the beginning of December should see the inauguration of a service which will be the first of its kind in the Dominion. As most people are aware, the power is to be steam, which was considered more suitable than electricity for this system. Six ears are being turned out by Messrs. Cousins and Cousins in conjunction with the D.S.C. They are very similar to the latest pattern adopted by the Auckland Electric Tramway Company, with this great improvement—they will be eight feet wide instead of seven feet six inches, thus allowing a much wider aisle, and the comfort of travellers will be increased accordingly. These cars should be delivered in November, and by that date both locomotives will have arrived from Messrs.. Kerr and Stewart, England. The first should arrive next month. One is to be capable of drawing up to four trailers, and the- other is just half that power. These locos, are not of the type with which people who have been in Christchurch and Sydney are familiar, but are much improved, and are almost noiseless and smokeless. The cars are to be lit by electricity generated from the locos. Both locos and cars will be fitted with not only ratchet brakes, but the effective Westinghouse airbrake as well. The company’s’ steamer is now on the stocks in Mr. George Niccol’s yards, and will be launched towards the end of next month. Her engines will develop fully 11 knots, and she will carry 600 passengers, this being the number the company’s cars can handle, so that there will be no fear of more people being landed at O’Neil’s Point wharf than can at once take their seats for the Lake. These car s will run down to within fifty yards of the boat, and passengers will find this a great convenience in wet weather and at night. It is expected that the boat trip will occupy eight minutes from wharf to wharf. The car journey from the wharf to the centre of Takapuna, which may be taken as Hall’s Corner, should not occupy more than from fifteen to seventeen minutes, the total time from Auckland to Takapuna being less than half the present tedious hour which one takes via Devonport. The maximum return through fare —boat and car —will be about ninepence as against two shillings —boat sixpence and ’bus eighteenpence—which one has to expend now. As an instance of the effect the new means of communication is having, it may be mentioned that Messrs. Paul M. Hansen and Company have recently passed more than £38,000 worth of property through their hands, and the same firm is now cutting up the Bayswater Estate at O’Neil’s point. Sections at the Lake with a sea-frontage are already

at a premium. The license of the Lake Hotel (which was recently burnt down) is being transferred to a fine property nearer the beach, which will be known as the Mon Desir Hotel. The large twostorey hotel now being built should be completed about the middle of November, and the bar, with a large tea-kiosk, will be quite separate from the residential quarters.

The total cost of installing the system will not be far short of £50,000, and the company deserves to meet with all the success to whieh present indications point for their plucky enterprise. Mr. John Brown is chairman of directors, and his colleagues on the Board are Messrs. P. M. Han s en, W. Blomfield, A. R. Morrison, H. H. Adams, and Captain J. Smith. Mr. H. Munro Wilson is the company’s engineer. THE HUDSON CUP. This handsome cup, presented by Messrs. R. Hudson and Co. (Ltd.), was won for the first time by the No. 1 Company Auckland G.A.V. The trophy is sterling silver, «nd the cup is fitted with two handles and a cover, upon the top of which is mounted an oxidised model of a kiwi supported on either side by tuatara lizards. The cup is concave fluted, with silver in alternate panels, with a fluted stem and foot. The base consists of a mahogany slab, in which are inlaid 30 silver shields. The edge of the mahogany slab is carved in Maori rafter pattern. Upon it is a white marble slab, upon which rests a pillar of Connemara marble, with bright silver pinth and eapitol. The obverse side of the marble pillar is fitted with a shield bearing a crown supported on either side by the Union Jack and the New Zealand flag, with a scroll beneath with the rose, shamrock, thistle, and ferns. Upon the reverse side of this pillar is a silver shield surrounded by a laurel wreath, and on the white marble base on either side of the pillar are mounted two silver oxidised Nordenfelt quick-firing 6-pounder guns, with a man stationed at each. The cup is encased in a polished mahogany silk-lined case with folding doors. The inscription on the cup runs thus: “Presented by R. Hudson and Co. (Ltd.) to the Volunteer Garrison Artillery of New Zealand for competition with quickfiring guns, 1909.” The whole of the work was done to the order of Mr. John Hislop, jeweller, Dunedin, Mr. Hawcridge being the designer. THE TRAINING SHIP DARTFORD. Thte (training ship IDartiJord, which arrived in Wellington on Saturday last, 11th, from a trip practically round tire world, is under the command of Captain dooper, R.N.R., of Auckland; chief officer, Mr. A. J. R. Barr; second, Mr. W. Cossentive; third, Mr. J. S, G. Reid. There are 12 boys on board, hailing from all parts of the Dominion, and only one Australian. They pay a premium to the N.S.S. Co. in return for training in seamanship, practical and theoretical, and in navigation, with the guarantee of a berth as officer on one of the Company’s fleet of boats as soon as they have received their certificate. The course lasts about four years, during whieh time the lads are taught every item of a sailor’s duty, and, to judge by the condition of the aft portion of the Dartford, for which they are responsible, they will not only be thoroughly up to the work themselves, but will be able to appreciate and insist upon thoroughly seamanlike work from others. The Dartford is taking on another batch of boys before leaving the Dominion. All the apprentices.are picked from the best families in the Dominion, and have to pass a searching examination into their physical and moral condition before being accepted. During the voyage from Melbourne to Africa, and from Africa to West Australia and New Zealand, the ship has been steered solely by the boys, and they have shown wonderful aptitude in learning their duties as seamen under the instruction of the officers of the ship. IN GEYSERLAND. LECTURE BY DR. WOHLMANN. The lecture hall of the Leys Institute was packed to the doors on Friday night, when Dr. A. 8. Wohjmann, M.D., M.RIC.S., L.R.C.P., Government Balneologist at Rotorua, delivered a popular lecture, illustrated with maps, diagrams, working models, and lantern slides, on

“The Hot Springs and Geyser* Rotorua.” The chair was occupied by Mr. T. W. Leys' president. The lecturer, who was received with applause, said that just as the man ■who lives next door but one to a powder factory takes a particular interest in explosives, so must the people of Auckland take more than an academic interest in thermal phenomena, For here in New Zealand we had one of the finest examples of hydrothermal activity in the world. With the exception of pertain springs in some districts, whioh were heated by chemical agency, it might, broadly speaking, be said that volcanoes, geysers, fumaroles, and hot springs were merely variations of one common manifestation of hydrothermal energy. In other words, they were all caused by- heated water. The lecturer then went on to explain how the cooling and contraction of the globe in the course of millions of years led to the formations of the principal lines of faults or cracks, of which there are three running north and south, with minor offsihoots. Dr. Wohlmann went on to explain how fissures in the crust of the earth led to a reduction in pressure beneath, which caused the hot solid to become more fluid, and to reach the surface as lava. After explaining the history of a volcano, Dr. Wohlmann went on to deal with the character of hot springs. These arose when, volcanic action having become less violent, and the imprisoned steam and gases were less explosively ejected, we got their escape in a steadier and less catastrophic manner. Referring to geysers, the lecturer said that next to active volcanoes, these constituted, perhaps, the most striking, picturesque, and interesting of all hydrothermal phenomena. The essential feature of a geyser was that boiling water was shot up into the air with explosive force, the action being more or less intermittent. By various diagrams and experiments the lecturer showed the operation of geysers, and explained the simple principles of physics relating to the variation of boiling points with pressures, in order to •>how how a geyser “plays.” The soaping of a geyser merely had the effect of lowering the boiling point below oy reducing the pressure of the column of liquid above, soapsuds being lighter than water. After passing reference to mud volcanoes, fumaroles, and solfataras, the lecturer proceeded to explain the nature of mineral waters. At first sight there appeared to be an enormous number of different waters at Rotorua, but a closer examination showed that the bulk of tihe springs could be divided into two great groups —the acid and alkaline waters. The alkaline waters came from the bowels of the earth, where, under the combined influence of very high temperature and enormous pressures, water was able to dissolve many minerals, which, at the surface, were practically insoluble. Such waters contained silicates, chlorides, and carbonates of the alkaline earth and of iron, with various Under certain circumstances, the sulphides in this water became oxidised into sulphate, amongst others sulphuric acid, which, in turn, reacted on the surrounding rocks, producing alum, sulphate of iron, and the familiar acid, PriestWater. The lecturer concluded with some references to the structures built up by the springs, and notably the Pink and White Terraces, and also to the vegetable and animal life which exists in waters of very high temperature. A number of exceedingly interesting lantern slides were then shown on the screen, and at the conclusion loud applause rewarded the doctor’s efforts. In -moving a vote of thanks to the lecturer, Mr. T. W. Leys said the Committee was very much indebted to him for the great trouble he had taken in preparing this lecture. The models were, in their way, as perfect as those set up by Dr. Wohlmann at the Christchurch Exhibition. Since Dr. Wohlmann had taken charge at Rotorua, the Sanatorium had been remodelled according to the very best European models —the springs had been scientifically classified, and the baths made available in a manner not contemplated or attempted before. The results were that even in the past winter Rotorua had been thronged with visitors from all parts of Australasia. Dr. Wohlmann had exercised great scientific skill and thought in the development of Rotorua, and he deserved their best thanks for coming down to Auckland for the benefit and instruction of thoM present. (Applause.)