PAETT MAROONED

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 74, 29 March 1933, Page 13

PAETT MAROONED

VISITORS TO THE CHATEAU

After being marooned at the Chateau, Kational Park, for three days, owing to the serious flooding of mountain streams and tlie washing away of a wooden bridge over, the Whakapapan"t Eiver, a mile belqw the Chateau, a party of five Australian J lady tourists arrived at Auckland '..on Saturday. The: motorcar in which they travelled was the first torJeaye the Chateau after the construction of a temporary bridge, and the partial subsidence of the flood waters.—. '

The party left thaChateau shortly "before -cigbt-o'clock. on-sriday:".juorning j and successfully negotiated tlie temporary.wooden bridge erected by the Public Works Department with the assistance of prison labour (reports the "IST.Z. Herald"). Although the surface of the roads on either side of the Whakapapanui River was in a very poor condition after the heavy flooding, good progress was made, and the party reached "Waitomo, where the night was spent, at about 4 p.m. Apart from a detour made at Taumarunui the usual route was followed," The journey to Auckland was continued on Saturday.

In. referring to_ her experiences, one member of the party stated that 25 travellers were isolated at the Chateau after the cloudburst on Mount Ruapehu and the resultant flooding on Tuesday. In spite of the fact that the electric light system failed completely, necessitating the use of candles throughout the hotel, and a restricted use of the water service, the guests 'suffered .little discomfort, and were well looked after by the Chateau staff.