LAKE SCENERY OF OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 15

LAKE SCENERY OF OTAGO.

HIGHLY COMMENDED BY CANTERBURY VISITORS. Mr and Mjs W. N. J. Thacker, of Banks Peninsula, who arrived in Dunedin yesterday after a holiday tour round Lakes Wa'katipu, Te Anau, and Manapouri, speak in glowing terms of the magnificent scenery and the invigorating atmosphere of our Cold Lakes district. " The grandeur of the snow-capped mountains .the deep blue waters of the lakes, and the magnificent native forests clothing the hillsides and covering the numerous islands in some of the lakes and extending for miles along the lake shores," Mrs Thacket remarked, "" are fascinating and charming, and when seen at this season of the year they impress the mind with the conviction/ that no country in the 'World could be more' beautiful than our 6vm New „ Zealand." • "We 1 are both New Zealarraers," Mr Thacker interjected to our interviewer, " and that possibly, to some extent, accounts- for our appreciation ■of our 'home scenery; but -we were fortified in our admiration of the lakes district by foreign tourists who were visiting the district at the same time as ourselves. One of these, a gentleman with a title who comes from Germany, and also travelled in our company for some days, said the scenery in the Cold Lake 3 district was the finest he had ever seen in his life, and he had visited most countries . of the world. '"Sou people,' the German visitor said, ' should be proud of your country ; you have every reason to be so !' "In the course of a further chat, Mr' Thacker «aid at tne ■time of his visit to the lakes there were four German photographers in the district, who were touring the world, visiting all the beauty spots, and they j were using their cameras verj freely, "taking views of "the lakes and> mountains. 'These tourists also spoke in the superlative strain of the grandeur of t\jo scenery,' and the purity of the air in the district. In re.ply to a query as tty which of the lakes impressed her most, Mrs Thacker said : "We thought Wakatipu beautiful; Ifrf Anau more / beatetiful, and Manapourrr^ dotted over as Xt is with seemingly innumerable islartds and islets, timbered down to the water's edge, meet beautiful of all. The rata in the forests was just coming into bloom, and the mistletoe, with its beautiful scarlet flower, was- blooming freely, while streams of clear water ■were pouring down -the hillsides and, coursing through the valleys, making the wholfe scenic effect here and at the other lakes particularly charming*." The magnitude of th& lakes impressed the visitors very .much, and Mr Thacker remarked that Lake To Anau has a surface area of 9000 square acres, and in Borne places has' a depth of 1100 ft, the arms extending- for 17 miles. Hotel and lodging accommodation in the lakes district was highly commended, and Government provision at "the State lodges «t Lake Te Anau for visitors was also commended. Mr Thacker said he was much impressed ■withAthe land about Winton, and «3so -witß the land along the railway line in Southland, baok / from Invercargill. The rich lands in the Clutha Valley, an the Tokomairiro Plains, and a* th© Taieti wsre also commended, and pasture and crops were highly spoken of. Regarding the <M*go ilocks, Mr Thacker, who is a sheep and cattle breeder and fanner, expressed » favourable 'opinion. <{ Your sheep," he said, "are well woolled, and I was ,garticul*rljr struck with the .stood condition, of your docks and herds. I observed, nowever, with a good deal of regret, the hold the Californian thistle pest >s getting in. some parts we visited. This agricultural and pastoral pest is thriving in the Queenstown district, also near Winton; and along the line of country from Invercargill to Stirling — patchy, it is true, but spreading rapidly. This is a serious matter for the settlers* not only in Otago, but also in Canterbury, and throughout the Dominion, and if the Government does not tales the suppression of this peat firmly in hand it will be a very eejious thing. If it costs a million of State money to eradicate the Californian thisfle it would be money well spent." The visitors, like others, were much impressed with the scenery round about Dunedin — the Ocean Beach, the harbour, and the Belt — and also with the numerous and excellent cable asd electric tram services. Mr Thaoker, on this, his first holiday visit to Otago, was also impressed with the robust and healthful - appearance of the southerners in this part of the Dominion, and made a comparison between Auckland and Otago in this respect, much te-the advantage of the latter. Mr and Mrs Thacker {Mr Thacker is a brother of Dr Thacker, ot Christchurch) al«o_.vißrted Stewart Island during their trip, and return to Christchurch on the 4-th with the full intention of recommending friends, and acquaintances to do the lakes of 'Otago during the annual holiday season or at any time when convenient.