SCENIC RESORTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 441, 25 February 1909, Page 7

SCENIC RESORTS.

; •>" - ■.:'■ .j ■ /;, HON. T. MACKENZIE'S IDEAS! "" ; ITne" Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister, in Charge of-.the-'-Tourist Department, told a 'Dominion reporter last night that after oarefully going into matters connected with the tourist resorts of. the .-'south, he.was of opinion that without detracting -from. the value of the northern scenic resorts and thermal springs, there was :a great ffeld for development in' the south. The bracing- climate there should be particularly beneficial, to ' Australians and North Islanders. 1 He wanted ■to enable, people who have, to work for: their daily bread'.to see more of the natural.heauties of the country, and he wanted the. scenic regions to be more'readily accessible to - the visitor. l In this connection he' pointed out: that Milford Sound is almost the nearest-point in the South Island to Australia.- He would like to see a bridle. track made from the Sound to Lake Wakatipu. Such •a track should run .up the Cleddau: River, pa!ss through the. great wall of. rock behind Milford by means, of a. short tunnel into , the Hblyfoid Valley; and thence down the Greenstone River' to Lake: Wakatipu. The total distance would be . abont : 35 miles. The Minister: thinks an eye should be, kept towards the. making ,of this track in tho future,: and ho is confident, that iri j the remoter. future there will be - a light /railway: from Milford, Sound, to Lake Wakatipii.' He - stated'.that'trout -were doing exceedingly .well in some of • the streams , and , lakes, and there was a• fine extent of, country 'for .big 'game. -The wapiti were. doing well; but wollseleoted parae should be'. liberated' 1 , in somo of tho valleys. . - ;

„ Mr. ; Mackenzie has had-more requests to visit different parts of the-Dominion than he can possibly, iComply with. His present l intention', subject to alteration, is to start . next, Tuesday for the Rotorua district.' :-'.V''-' t .'