MOUNT TUTOKO REGION

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1923, Page 4

MOUNT TUTOKO REGION

icefields and glaciers, Mr Sainted Turner, who has been doing exploration wo k in tie* i utoko region Irom the Hoileylonl Valley on the West Coast, lias given an interesting account of his discoveries to a AA eiIjnglon interviewer, ami be urges that Hie Government should take steps to up (he region to tourist traffic. Ai r Turner says : --- • in.:-; remarkable feature aboil! ihe Tetokn region i-. that although e aboil' tliirlv mnuni a ins in i.r<iu]i. cadi cue is entirely dui'ei-, ut | rmii the otlu-i I i mil bead ie looi. and i lie unique po-ition ol the vallevs. the glaciers and the. icefields i, cm e-Mingly wonderful. One migb< >taml mi a pass a! -i height ol oBIHIIt overlnnking the Dome glacier, which Is iil-nut six mile- lung bv tun to Linemiles broad. Thi>. glacier is cm-a-M a, i.hme.di in a cradle. Its only nutlet i. a narrow gorge about Milt wide, u I, jell i- at a liclghi n| about dTi'lH. The glacier lories itself over Hie smooth rocks of this gorge and falls with a roar into a clip of hard granite in if-e-wm it rocks about otil-it down. (In (fie mirth-west "I tin* real Tiltoko is a hanging glacier about 7ooofl up on the preeipiee. The ice breaks away ami as il ere le d.o* n ihe p"''ipiee

~ I,mi, iis v. av into a narrow gorge probable Tiiils wide, ami rushes down almost perpendicularly -11)0011, emptying ii-eli' into Hds huge cup if nr the entrance of the glacier described. T milled the handle ef my cinema for one half minute at Ihe rale ol two turns a second before the whole of one avalanche was finished. I do not wish to give anyone the impression that J am a professional eiliematogrn pa picture taker, or that I am Stoisidiscd by anyone, or that I make one cent out of my pictures in my exploration work whatever. The cinematograph hobby is only nil addition to my photographic equipment, which consists of a large photographic camera, also a small one. and a quarter plate camera—all fitted with the best lenses. 1 have always refused to sell any photographs or to make any money out of my mountaineering. which I have followed foj twenty-six years.

‘•I think, however, the Xew Zealand Government should take over am extend the results secured so that tbit generation will hand down to Intuit generations a much extended wonder land which is becoming more fox'* Own Country than any country in tin world. Probably Xew Zealanders cal this ‘Cod’s Own Country’ because they themselves do not know the wilt parts of this fair land and think thal these regions are only visited by tin spirits of idle Almighty. There is something mitre than pounds, shillings and pence to be considered when a people bn vc broil entrusted with such, a pieturoscnio and' health-giving land likt this Dominion. Apart altogether from the influx of overseas tourists, it V the duty of every man in this country to know every paid of it and to see that it is developed as a health or scenic resort or for its economic advantages. One can never tell wind part this wonderful mountain region, which, cnuia'iis the second largest icefield in XV u Zealand, the biggest waterfalls, the highest precipices and most natural state of its birds, game, fish and bush, is going to play in the future of this country. Shiploads of tourists could be taken to Afnrtin’s Bav and within two days lie on Hie icefields of Tittoko by only climbing 5000l't and walking ft ve to seven miles of snow slopes, which are almost level. Xew Zealand as an agricultural country has in store very prosperous iimes. and should now look forward to developing iis unexplored regions.

"The hake County Council should he subsidised l' for £ to renew the hut al the head of Lake Al’Kerrow and put the Ifollyford track in a sound condition for travelling over. At the present time one must admit it is quite an experience to travel down to Hollyford. For instance, one of my best day’s journeys this season was twentythree miles in twenty-six hours. It takes seven days from Wellington to get to the base of operations in order to climb in the Tutoko region. Xo place in Xew Zealand should take seven days to reach ; in my opinion, no place should take more trail four davs.”

Air Turner takes strong exception to the statement made to the English Alpine Club by a Xew Zealander two years ago that there were no undiscovered glaciers of any size in X'cw Zealand. This gentleman had never been in the Tutoko region and knew

nothing about it first hand. “I would bo only too pleased.” says Mr Turner, “to show anybody photographs depicting fifty miles of perpetual snow and icefields in this district. The High Commissioner's officer window in the Strand, London, exhibited last year my enlarged photographs showing twenty miles of newly discovered ice fields. Milford Sound is probably the beauty spot of the world as far as liorus are concerned, but the Tutuko range, which I have been exploring particularly from the Holly ford Valley side, affords the prettiest bush, precipice, icefield, and mountain scenery in the world. Although there may be other mountain regions of greater magnitude, the characteristic of sameness robs them of the charm and fascination of the Tutoko range. There are still valleys to he discovered and icefields to he explored surrounding this

“The Itora above the bush level in ■the Tluljiyforil-Tutoko area is much more varied and extensive than in any other part of New Zealand I have visited. The only place I know of in Xew Zealand where one finds large bunches of giant eidehveiss, each specimen larger than the Swiss eidolweiss. is in this region. T. collected a quantity on tlie pass at -1100 ft which is on the round tour described. I also discovered what I think is a now. species- of large spider. It lias a big back, short legs ami is copper-coloured. It weaves its wob on the* moraine of tlie glneter in a hole under a large piece of rock without being attached to the ground. It is exceedingly difficult to catch, very speedy and seemingly entirely different from any spader 1 have seen. There is also a peculiar mountain weta, winch jumps dawn t'v rock as one ascends the precipices, in that distiict kakapes. kens, l-:nl-:u«, kiwis, blue paradise and grey duck and wekns exist in fair numbers. Tile weasels, however, are destroying all kinds of hi d ti.e. and something drastic should be dime to exterminate the pest in this part. Ihe trout in I .‘.ike .M' Kerrow are by far the largest to I round in New Zealand waters and the most numerous. They ire very palatable and from an angler’s point of view provide wonderful sport. "There are some red deer in the valley, hut they are not so numerous as the birds mentioned, ihe inc-quito and sandfly post could probably be cured by a fair supply of ltero-

“Wlien the manage,- of the Kodak Limited. London, saw my ) holographs of this district and enlarged them lire for exhibition in the High ('-immi-sHm-er's u iiuh w avd aftenvni ds all over London in all the Kodak wiwl.-ws, ho (leserilivd them as Ihe prettiest scenery lie had seen and he is one ol the mcmof tlie Hovel I’hctographic Society. I was invited to shew these I iotures I efore the society, hi t I n to pe t} i.lie L e honour until a Inter (fine. If my cinema films come out all right this season they will ‘■end r Li;si : l through r, e rs I see the sighl-

in and 1 here my j.iel.nres will send

thrill to the heart of the man who ilirs not venture out ol the beaten lor . \Ve only came cut of the mountains in time, r, heavy snow tail tne dav we did. 1 have seen in the distiict the t■ j is- if mountain-- with eternal ice rn (heir summits, and all kinds e 1 hud l flilPienlt gerees which will afford hall a e.-mury el exploration, and it <a*i i n!v Ii- dime by the mo t skilful cl in.mutant ex pi; rers. All expedition to Mt l-'.verest may take three times as long If I it i- ihire times as easy, c.-u e.i-

: idly In 100- Ilian who can stand the rn relied air. All the ilif!iciiU ; es it is pir-■-i'• I • 111 get aiv groi'i ed l ogether in i ; • "ill-Iri< I."