8

fi.—2

Massage-rooms were fitted up and operators installed early in the season, but the result has been anything but satisfactory, very few patients having availed themselves of this class of treatment. . .. . , The question of providing an emergency-hospital ward has been under consideration, and a suitable site has been secured The report of the resident medical officer will be found in the appendices to this report. Waitomo and UuAKurti Caves. There has been a fairly large increase in traffic at the caves during the year. The number of visitors is, however, nothing like as large as one might expect in view of the size and attractive nature of these caves. The want of better accommodation is perhaps in a measure responsible tor lack of patronage It is very necessary that a larger and more comfortable house should be erected at an early date. It is also desirable that the caves should be lighted with electricity to show them to advantage and to prevent destruction of colouring, which is likely to follow the use of magnesiumwire lights and others of such a nature. Estimates of the cost of lighting by electricity now being prepared. The number of visitors for 1906-7 was 5(2, as against 296 for 1905-6, and the revenue £182 9s. 10d., as against £146 14s. 4d. Up to the present the fees for viewing caves and guiding have been paid to private individuals. The proprietary rights in the Ruakuri and the Waitomo Caves have now been secured by the Department, and the fees from this source will m future be paid into the Public Account. Rotohua. The traffic to this resort for the past year shows but a small increase over the previous year. There has, however, been a very much larger number of oversea visitors, and an equivalent decrease in New-Zealanders. The absence of our own people is no doubt due to the Exhibition having attracted them south. „ , . ,„ The following table shows the bookings by rail to Rotorua from all officered stations (flagstations are not included) for the past seven years: — Return of Number of Passengers boohed to Rotorua for Year* ending 81st March, 1901, 1902, WO3, 190/,, 1905. 1906, and 1907, respectively, exclusive of Bookings from t lag-stations.

The township continues to grow rapidly; some very substantial brick business premises have been recently erected, and further houses of good type have been bu.lt lor the accommodation ot VlSlt The total receipts at this resort from all sources amounted to £9,269 7s. 10d., as against £8 7U 16 or the previous year, showing an increase of £534 lis. lOd. This sum was chiefly mvi up from increases in out-patient, bath, water, and electric-current fees. There was a decrease ,S i. itorTum pathents' fees and round-trip fares. With the exception of the cost of medicines, the whole cS to"free medical treatment of Maoris is still being borne by this Department. The nineraririnking-waters continue to increase in popularity. Sales at 2d. realised £216 16 o mineral urmivmg w , . previous year. The round-trip receipts have fallen weather experienced during the season. .Some very important works have been in progress at Rotorua during the past year. The drainage- • 3 and the new water-supply system is well in hand. In both oases there « £jS caS? only tt private connections to place the systems in complete, workingorder When this has been done the town will have a most up-to-date sanitary system and a waterth- second to none in the colony. Another work of magnitude with which good progress has neen m-de I the erection of the new bath buildings. It is expected these will be completed by been made is the «"f"> f , bt] „ eneral i y has been carried on at considerable disadvanSeptember next ™ _»oS eoSiraSt; but it is considered inadvisable to instal expensive formulated. , „___* . llp pWtrio-lio-ht system has for some time failed to

[nary. | Holiday F2Xcui-3ion. Special Excursion. | Round Trip. Year ending Slst March. S Total. Single. Return. First. Second. First. Second. First. Second. First. | Second, i First. Second. .901 .902 :903 .904 L905 L906 1907 666 1,080 1,530 2,080 2,574 2,958 3,114 1,458 2,101 3,659 5,058 5,288 5,546 5,739 551 718 923 1,877 1,081 2,099 1,170 2,886 1,317 3,392 1,249 3,172 1,194 2, <>">"> 395 I 1,236 884 4,806 370 1,089 G71 i "2,389 423 1,687 707 2,788 935 ! 3,010 175 ! 157 'i06 I 421 132 ■■ 1,694 '.'. 484 454 144 199 200 309 354 381 478 106 192 386 040 793 080 665 5,606 12,122 10,891 10,956 15,828 17,955 18,243