MOUNT COOK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2408, 13 March 1915, Page 8

MOUNT COOK

INCREASINGLY POPULAR RESORT

HON. R. H. RHODES INTERVIEWED

Possible improvements at the pleasure resort of Mount- Cook were discussed bv the Hon. 11. H. Rhodes, Minister-in-Charge of Tourist Resorts, in an interview with a Dominion reporter yesterday.

"We are taking into consideration the question of increasing the accommodation at the Hermitage," said Mr. Rhodes, "and also the question of improving tho road from Fairlie. Just now the road seems to be fairly good, except in those places where the floods liave washed tho shingle out of the gorges over it. or washed away approaches to some of the bridges. One proposal is that we should bridge the Tasrnan higher up, nearer the Hermitage, and so avoid the detour round Lake Tekapo, shortening the distance between Fairlie and the Hermitage by from 30 to 40 miles. In Sir William Hall-Jones's time he had a scheme for crossing one of the-streams of the Tasman to an island in the river, and for bridging tlie other larger stream. The dredging of the river nearer to the Hermitage would have'this great advantage; that it would make the distance to be covered so much shorter. The question as to what shall be done is really one for tho consideration of the Minister of Public Works, who will be called upon to find the money for whatever may be done.

"We are finding that the trip to the mountain is increasing in popularity. At times during- this summer thore have been .as many ;;s 100 visitors at' the Hermitage. We find, too, that numbers of elderly people, with no thought of mountaineering, go there to take more gentle exercise, and to breathe th& mountain air. One of the difficulties we have to contend with now is that tho trains and the motor services are not run to time-tables which suit the convenience of visitors. The Fairlie tram leaves Timaru 20 minutes before ' tho southern express arrives, and the train to Timaru leaves Fairlie half an hour before the mptor-cars arrive from this mountain. , The result is that many people, go to the extra expense of hiring a motor-oar for the whole journey to Timaru. This, of course, means loss of revenue to the railway. I am sorry that Mr. Hiley was not able to accompany us, for he could have looked into these details; However, I intend to put before the Minister of Railways certain proposals concerning the train services to Fairlie.

"I went up to the new hut on the Mueller,. built by the guides last winter. There was six inches of show there, and we were able to enjoy a little skiing. We anticipate that early in the spring of every year this will be a popular resort for those who wish to indulge in such sports as tobogganing and ski-ing. From timo_ to time , tourists come to the mountain who bring their ski with them, and they have expressed, disappointment that these sports .are not obtainable in tho summer, when the Hermitage is open. I think it may be advisable to open the Hermitage a little earlier next year, when the snow is still fit for ski-ing. There is usually plenty of snow, in the months of September, October and November. The Ball .Hut .across-.the Tasman has been well patronised this year, but not so well .as it might have been had the bridge over the Huka not. been washed away. 'Mr. Eraser inspected the . site of the new bridge while lie was there, and the first pile is now driven.

"Everybody seems to be well enough satisfied with the accommodation at the Hermitage, but the building does not provide sufficient 'accommodation. AH sorts of suggestions have been mado about laying out tennis courts, croquet lawns, and a golf course. I am going to experiment with a patch of asphalt before I'lay down a tennis court. In the meantime I am having the whole of the terrace on which the Hermitage is built fenced in, and we propose to make a garden for our own Alpilie plants, and aDother garden for Alpine plants from Switzerland and ether countries."'