ON THE TARARUAS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 25 July 1919, Page 3

ON THE TARARUAS.

A WELLINGTON PARTY'S EXPERIENCE.

Considerable anxiety was caused through the report that Messrs Von Haast, 1* W. Vosseler, and Claude Tucker had failed to reach Otaki after

a trip from Woodside over the ranges. Welcome news, however, was received just after we went to press on Wednesday to the effect that the party was safe.

Mr Von Haast, interviewed, said: — "You leave Woodside and go along till you reach the first hut on the Tauherenikau, which is well in the ranges on the Wairarapa side. You cross the river, and then have a very long climb to the upper hut, which is pretty near the top of the range. From the upper hut. you go along what is called 'the dress circle,' and commence to climb the highest peak of Mount Hector, and make for Otaki. We made the first lutf on .Saturday night, and the upper hut, though it was a very wet day. on the Sunday night. The weather was very

bad the next day, and we were faced with two alternatives —one that the weather might be too bad for us to climb to .Mount Hector, and the other that the river might rise behind us and cut us off.

"We determined to climb to Hector. but. when we got hall-way it was blowing n regular blizzard, and two or three limes the wind lifted us oft feet. It was impossible to stand against it. so we decided to return to the upper hut, which is well built, and lies ill a sheltered spot ill the bush. all day yesterday comfortably in the upper hut. We had plenty of provisions, and got in firewood, and had n good tire. Our only concern ail the- time was that the people in Wei lington would be worrying about us. We thought it b::tter to lake no unnecessary risks, ami we noticed, coming down lie. tor, on our return to the hut, that, a lot of snow thai had been there in the morning had been melted. We knew from that thai the Tauhere.nikau river would be up; and. seeing that it continued raining ail Monday night and Tuesday, we realised thai the river would be too high to cross. So we wailed till Thursday, when we left the upper hut in a snowstorm about 9 o'clock, crossed the nikau without any difficulty, and got" lo Woodside station a little after three o'clock. Thence we took the next train to Wellington. Su tar as we were concerned, therefore, we were quite in safety all the time, ijuite well and fit. It was Mr Vosseler'.- parly, and he lias been over nine times or so. and has an expert knowledge of the range and of the conditions to be met with there." "I shall be obliged," said Mr von Haast, in conclusion, "if you v. ill express our gratitude to the people who were -ei-jng nrnngei ,CN".s io look loirs; but we were very g'ad that they were spv.cd the tiOabh- of going out in this uad weather. What is wanted over there is either a light bridge over the -river or a hut on the other side of the Tauhcrcnikau, so that those who get held up by floodwater in the river can find shelter. At present, under such circumstances, one must either spend the night in the bush by tin' river, or else make one V way back to the upper hut."