TOUR OF INSPECTION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2403, 8 March 1915, Page 6

TOUR OF INSPECTION

HON. W. FRASER AT MOUNT COOK.

The Hon. Win. Fraser, Minister'of Public Works, returned to Wellington on Saturday morning from his first official visit to Mount Cook. In the course' of a brief interview the Minister said that it was the first occasion on which he had visited the district, and all anticipations' as to the grandour of the scenery had been fully realised. . As Minister of Public Works he had been anxious to see the state of the roads leading to the Hermitage, and, was pleased to find them in good order. In one or two places they wei'e a little bit Tough owing to washouts, but that, of course, could not be avoided. He observed that in one case one of the new light traffic bridges on the road had been left high and dry through one of the mountain streams which crosses the road having changed its course. It was possible, however, that this bridge would be useful again, as the stream might bo diverted back to its old course. He had inspected the new bridge which, was being constructed over the Hooker, and had found the work going on satisfactorily, though it was necessarily slow, as the piles had to be driven through great boulders, and this work was somewhat difficult. He had been very favourably impressed with the new hotel at the Hermitage, but thought that in the near future additional accommodation would have -to be provided: Some temporary structures should be put up first, he thought,- until it was seen exactlywhat was best to be .done. It was desirable that a billiard room should be added, but with the fittings this would cost £500, and he did not think they would be justified in spending/ such a sum at the present time for such a purpose.