SOUTH WESTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1933, Page 7

SOUTH WESTLAND

REGION FOB TOURISTS. (Auckland Herald). Interesting impressions of South (Vest;and as a territory attractive to tourists were given by Captain J. CiMcrcer, a well-known Christchurch airman, who has been visiting Auckland. Captain Mercer said the area was comparatively little known, but elfons were being made to develop travel by air in South Westland, and t»ie swifter means of 'communication should play a considerable part in increasing the tourist traffic. Captain Mercer arrived by aeroplane on Wednesday. “I have always been very interested 'in the tourist attractions of New Zealand, and South Westland is one district which really deserves more recognition than it has received.” Captain Mercer said. “The Franz Jos e f Glacier is widely known, of course, but what the average traveller does not realise is the interest to be found in the district further afield than Franz Josef.” Captain Mercer said that, coupled with the distinctive beauties of Franz Josef, other majestic sights in South Wetland could he seen from the air where the present means of travel restricted the opportunities of the visitor.

A WEEK-END VISIT,

As a pilot who had made numbers of tourists trips to Franz Josef by air from Christchurch, he believed that a proposed daily aeroplane service between Hokitika and Franz Josef would do much for the district from the point of view of tourist trade. Where it now took days to travel from -Christchurch ■to 'Franz Josef and back by rai] and road, the return journey could he done by air in 'four and a half hours. Tourists had already shown an interest- in the air journey, which permitted a visF to Franz Josef at a week-end where other means of communication would occupy almost a week. A daily aeroplane service between Christchurch and Franz Josef w:*s not practicable at present, because of the uncertainty of weather conditions in crossing the Southern Alps. Tourists would travel 'by rail, to Westland, and the proposed aeroplane service between Hokitika and Franz Josef would prove convenient in their journey. The settlers themselves' were enthusiastic about the development of travel by air. Scenic flights from Franz Josef were expected to be a growing witltrac-tion, and,’ for these, landing grounds were in view in several parts of South Westland.

INCOMPARABLE VIEW FROM AIR

Using Franz Josef as a base, .aeroplane-' flights bhrew open a vast territory to ■interest the tourist. The view of the Alps from the air, a short distance from Franz Josef, was incomparable, and ■M'onnt Cook and other great peaks, Tasman, Elio <le Beaumont, La Perouse and Copeland among them, stood out in the plainest detail. There were hot springs up the Copeland River at Welcome Flat, and there was a magnificent attraction in the remote Arawata (flowing into Jackson’s Bay.

'Captain Mercer has carried cut a considerable investigation of the Art* wa)ta 'River, which he regards as one of the most impressive sights in South Westland. The river as about 30 miles long, but ifs bed averages two miles wide. From either b a nk, steep bush-d a d and snow-capped mountains rise. iLake Ellery, a scenic gem, is reached bj following the course' of the Arawata, and then there is Mount Aspiring, one of New Zealand’s most graceful peaks. Captain Mercer has succeeded in effecting a landing on the shingle well up the course l of the r:ver.