CORRESPONDENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1930, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

TOURIST TRAFFIC,

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—7 report briefly the growili of tourist traffic- iver the fiaast Pass ’'rack to Westland from Lake Wanaka. during the season 1929-30. The volume of traffic has maintained, if not exceeded, that of the previous season although a autostart tial decrease was recorded during the Pori I v w r stalking season. D-combor and January saw ]ar< r e ni’inh'M's of ri.brs, (trarmcrs, and eampc'i's p-'ssing through the district. 'Tiring February, an oxoep'ionally tine month, tire tourist traffic was at such a. low ebb as to bo the worst on record. Wet whether did to some extent mar the Christmas and New Year traffic, hut rood to fair was exnerieii'ed from January to the end of the s'alkinr season; the middle of March alone brine "'-of, on the coast.

The most important trio has 'been Professor Turner’s scientific exploration exoedition to the Red Mountains and the remote regions of South Wes 4 bud. This is the second suceessf 1 trip here ttnd another visit is to fnl’tnv,

Mount Aspiring was climbed on 1 brre oecnshms, once l\v a lady, and v,. 0 f f] lP »Irune Club, Ton’on, led one successful ascent during

T, W::« rv

hord and Lady Latvmer ’arrived frun Fm-d'ocl in February and spon+ '■ever:'• wwks stalking in the Lands-I’o-ourh Valley and were successful in bringing out ■> number of trophies, though not including anything of an oustandiim- nature.

r Hm riding traffic through to tlm (■ 1 acici’s fell considerably short of our expectations, but with the womised cr'ct’on of two lints on the long stretch north of Haas!, will remove a serious drawback and enable riders to take easier stages. A number of tramoers passed to and from the Glaciers without experiencing ser'ous delays through high rivers. The commodious Burke Hut came into service this season and was taxed to the utmost on several occasions.

No serious slips occurred this season and the track is in fair order, two men being kept employed constantly. Foreman Mcßride unfortunately lost his life last winter through an accident while employed on the track and thus passes a thorough and painstaking emjployee and a friend "d adviser to all classes of travellers.

A few anglers penetrated into Westland and report plenty of fish of fair weight and condition. Large catches have been taken from the Aiakri-ora River, printippl*y fland locked. Quinnat, average 2|lbs, and Rainbow up to *9lbs, Quite a number of sea run quinnat have been caught exceeding 201bs, including at least one at 2Glbs.

The Makarora Accommodation House changed hands during the summer and two others have also sprung up, including one in the course of erection at the head of Lake AVanaka winch will be controlled by this service.

Stalking trophies were of hotter duality than the previous season hut the number of sportsmen participating were about half that of Inst year. A well known North Island Club with a large membership propose to organise a tour over the Haast Pass in which at least 70 members will take part.

The writer with a press photographer, proposes to explore in the Sounds district this winter, the object being to seek a route connecting Milford c 'ou’’d with the Hollvl'ord Track via Atari in’s Bay. This trip will occupy ;-/t liri-t two months. Further lantern lectures will be given in several centres next Spring descriptive of this and other routes, arranged by this Service.

I am. etc., ERIC JAMES. Alakarora, May 19th., 1930.

STALKERS EXPEDITION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—-So much /has been wrongly said in reference to the alleged mismanagement of Lord and Lady Lntyvnpr’s Red Deer stalking expedition into South Westland from Lake AVannlea and knowing well what transpired 1 feel called upon to publish a few facts.

.Firstly Hie organisation was entrusted to one unacquainted with the 10.-al (and unusual) conditions, and one who made his few decisions upon the information and advice of others and in so doing failed to distinguish tile sundry motives of those, whose advice lie accepted and the contradictory nature thereof thereby failing to arrive at a true position.

Secondly both guides engaged were strangers on the block, while reliable men with intimate knowledge of the block were available.

The block, (No. 10 Burke) in the first was wrongly represented by the Societies adviser. Air Forbes, who was instrumental in getting them to take that block after they had already accepted a Landsborougb block, stating the latter block was too rough, in fact impossible to get a woman in there, overlooking the fact that a lady stalker spent nine weeks in the valley two seasons ago. It was also claimed that block No. 10 (Rurke) possessed river flats over which the lady could staAk. La.tymer’s organiser upon inspection found the flats much too limited to be worthy of mention. During the visit of •inspection both the farmer base camp sites vpre visited and turned down, it being stated that HO person could ask the visitors to attempt the mountains from those points. I then made a suggestion naming Mueller Pass. 1836 feet, as the one and only remaining rpcans of reaching the promising stalking country on the block.

J pointed out that this required an extra, day’s ride, but that the access to the block would then 'be eas;, (from Okuru block base camp site) and only a distance of about 4 miles. After corroboration from others this was decided upon, and even then .1 stressed the importance of obtaining further advice from Major R. ,AVil6on who probably knows more oi that country than any other, before deciding. This was never done! (The provisions and equipment amounting to over two tons did nol arrive until a week prior to the arrival of the party, leaving a week to transport this amount on: pack horses on a four day journey, returning in three and then return, in tinv to meet the party and pack out then personal gear, etc. Even with such limited time this was accomplished. Both guides were openly prejudice* l against the block prc.ferlng tluLandsbrough With which they wer<

acquainted. A day after the arrival of the gem at the base camp these guides inspected the route to the Pass which was roughly a rise from this point oi a little over a 1,000 feet, occupying 7-J- hours. It seems evident from lgtor reports that 'they missed the trail entirely. They returned to Okuru settlement and reported tiro route too strenuous and no stalking country, which makes one wonder what attracted Alajor Wilson and others to that block sev-

er,nil 'SGiijSertji' in succession.

afterwards the two porters engaged also made an inspection and completed the journey to the Pass in 2v hours from the junction of the Actor River. One of these men was a bushman, while the other was employed "s a porter on the block last season. Throughout they followed a well worn ■’ecr track as reported iby Air AI. Halberg a well known North Island stalker, an aocount of which was published in the Fishing and Shooting Gazette, ATay Ist. 1929. Harris Bros., the local runholders state they hrn'p done it in four hours.

Upon receipt of this contradictory Ipfovpv.ition a round table discussion took place at Makarora and upon tinguides report Lord Latyroer decided t,e acquire both Landsborough blocks.

This meant two teams of pack horses had to then go to Okuru and onck back the goods' to the Landsboroiigh. Okuru hvals reached in heavy rain and bad weather and flood? held up the pack team from reaching the camp up the river. This section of the journey necessitate* many crossings of the deeo confined Okuru River. AVhcn conditions did allow, tile fast running waters passed over the horses backs in at least two fords. On reaching Olmru again in heavy rain two days more delay was again experienced by more floods before they could proceed to Landsbor-

ongli, The expense due to the alteration of plans would have been eostlv enough with the best weathef conditions but wltll the delay, expense and inconvenience would, be great#?, whereas had the party not have been influenced by Fovbps’ uncalled for ‘'advice,” especially in view of the fact that he knows little or nothing about Block 10' from practical experience." the mess up would, have, never

occurred. ' , There is one thing about iihkv 1" .better head? might be expected'-pf it, situated as it is 'Oil the outskirts of the herd. Good heads may come out of tile Landsborough, but this may be doubtful especially after inspection, of Lord Latymer’s trophies. The inaccurate :.report from botih. guides, if withheld when the equipment was already on the ground, would have also avoided an unnecessary muddle and a better selection of heads would prdbably have been the outcome. It is my opinion the time is approaching when guides will be classified and only employed on country they know.

1 am, etc., ERIC JAMES Makarora, May 19tli, 1930.