PB, Size 1986. Government Publishing House.195 pages, photographs throughout. Good overall condition, Plastic coating on back left bottom just starting to peel. Happy to combine postage.

For sophisticated 19th century European, visiting one of the spas in England, France Or Germany was a popular pastime, to take advantage of the healing waters & to see & be seen with high society.

In 1880's the New Zealand Government, realising the potential of our country's mineral waters, was keen to create a spa to rival the great resorts of France., Rockel tells here the attempt to make Rotorua in particular a spa mecca for wealthy foreign tourists & describes the problems which prevented this happening.

Also the story of NZ's other hot springs area, Te Aroha, Hanmer, Waiwera, became centres of Edwardian spa elegance & still patronised today. others popular 100 years ago are now all but forgotten, lively well researched, interesting text with superb collection of historical photographs recording a hitherto neglected aspect of NZ history.