UNKNOWN COUNTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1930, Page 3

UNKNOWN COUNTRY

The editor of a book' of New Zealand short stories informed bis readers, in' a preface, that there was little country in these islands “any wilder than Dartmoor.” It is Father a '{pity that the author bf i that remarkable statement > could not liave been taken out into the bush and the mountains-—-arid lost there—by the party of explorers whose nine weeks’ work in Western Otago was' mentioned in a telegram.. These wanderers have been tramping and camping in the region between Alilford Sound and Jackson’s Bay and Mount Aspiring discovering canyons and lakes hitherto unmapped. ' Both north and- south of Alilford there is some country that is as yet dnaipe'rfectly explored, arid a thorough search of those parts is likely to reveal new landscape features which will fill in the blank .spaces in the Government map. Such a search and survey will be costly, as well as difficult, and it is a task only for men specially qualified for the hard work in the riiost rugged alpine corner of Dominion. Indeed, it is iriore difficult than exploration, in tlie central parts of ■ fhe mountain backbone ol the South Island, for the dense forest, far wilder and more tangled, than any bush in the North Island, and tlie gorges, precipices and snow torrents make of it an almost impenetrable wilderness. It has been suggested more than once that aeroplanes could be used with advantage in such work, and no doubt this will be done some day when the Survey Department can afford it. Reconn a i sauce and photographic work from the air vvould greatly assist in the survey, just as it has in the unknown parts, of South America and also recently in Papua.

Private enterprise, too, could give useful service if skilfully directed. There is an opportunity for some New Zealander who can afford it to embark on this fascinating pioneer quest and add to our knowledge of the mystery land. He may 'be certain of getting his name on the niaps, at any rate. The difficulty in such a savage bit of New Zealand, would be to find landing places, and for this reason, a seaplane would no doubt have to be employed, for the only level surface is' the lake and the fiord. In the mountain and bush territory between Milford-Martin’s Bay region and the base of Mount Aspiring a gobd deal of prospecting for minerals has been done in past years, and in the streams funning down 1 to the coast aibout Big Bay and other pahts gold Seekers have now and again found encouraging traces. But no systematic, scientific exploration of that country has yet been undertaken ; it is an expensive region, to prospect. It may yet turn out a treasure land, even if not a goldfield, for there are indications which point to the existence of silver, platinum, nickel and precious stones. —J.O. in Auckland Star.