AN URGENT CASE,

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1926, Page 4

AN URGENT CASE,

(To the Editor.) Sir—l have just returned to New Zealand after a twelve months’ tour of England and the Continent. When I arrived in Greymoutli on Friday week I had the opportunity of making my third trip to the Franz Josef Glacier in a private ear, and I eagerly accepted the invitation, because, although I have motored over six thousand miles during the last year, I have seen nothing to excel the beauty of the 100-mile drive to Wnilio, to say nothing of the extreme pleasure of going on the glacier itself. On my way out to New Zealand I advised several people whom I met not to miss the glacier trip if they had the time to spare, at the time telling, them they would never regret it. My experience this time, however, has convinced me that I did wrong in advising them to go, because the unbridged streams wore in such a swollen state that it is almost a miracle that there was no serious accident. The rain came on last Monday afternoon, and when the service cars and three private cars came to MacDonald's Creek on the return journey on Tuesday. th« first car, a private one, got stuck in the middle of the stream, and in a very short time there was a grave risk of Ihe passengers being drowned. The water quickly rose almost to the hood of the car, and the occupants had to he helped ashore by the aid of a rope fixed to the car, and held c the hank by those in the other cars. The rope was only an ordinary clothes line, but it was the only one available, and, had it broken, nothing could have prevented some of those in the. water from being carried flown the swift-rushing stream. It was an experience that nobody wishes to undergo a second time, and those who had to submit to it will not only refuse to make the trip again, hut will no doubt warn their friends of the great danger they may Incur if they undertake it. I am quite sure that two at least of the party in the private car—a lady and gentleman of advanced age—-have received a very severe shock, which will leave its effect for some considerable time.

I understand that, the Highways’ Board is to visit the glacier at the end of tliis month, and as a sincere well-wisher of the West, Coast, I would strongly urge those concerned to leave nothing undone to convince the Board of the urgent necessity for bridging these streams at once, if the Tourist traffic to the glacier is to lie maintained, because I am quite certain that, the visitors’ experience of lasl Tuesday has done incalculable harm. I cannot conclude without saying how much Hie passengers appreciated the work of those connected with the service cars. Everyone of them gave of his very host. T am etc., F. IT. OAMPBET.T,. Giwmouth, Jan. loth.