WELL-KNOWN GUIDE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 191, 6 April 1932, Page 6

WELL-KNOWN GUIDE

(Continued). -bilities. Tha country which the southern Waiau passes on its__way to the ;sea is among the most rugged :n *New Zealand and the exploration of this particular district was another ■ outstanding feat. The guide also walked over 11 miles of unbroken bush country betwe.n the head of Doubtful Sound and Lake Manapour", and carried out further work on th • Milford Sound Trade. ; Many Remim.wcenees .His contacts with Ihe many distinguished people who have visited the country have given ?lr. Warbrick an | unparalleled store of reminiscence. I Two examples demonstrate their quallty. "When the hte Karl of Droghoda . and Lady Drogheda visited the.Dominion many years ago, Guide Warbrick conducted them over Tikitere. At one point, a sudden up-rush of steam billowed up in Lady Drogheda's face and, temporarily overcome, she fell backwards and was only saved from toppling into a boiling pool by Mr. Warbrick who was walking behind her. "But ;nstead of thanking me," said Mr. Warbrick, "her husband gavo me a look which said 'what did you do that for' ? " On another occasion during the visit of the Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness asked Mr. Warbrick how he would like to fill his (the Pr'nce's) position. Mr. Warbrick replied that with all respect, he would not care to do" so at .all. "That shows ; your good sense Warbrick," rejoined the Prince with a smile. Across Waimungu Another of Mr. Warbrick's exploits, which" almost ranks with some of his performances during the time of the eruption was his celebrated voyage across Waimungu geyser in a small dinghy. This daring and almost foolhardy act, was the outcome of a wager in Auckland and attracted attention all over New Zealand. It was only possible owing to the fact that the geyser played intermittently and that when it was quiescent, the pool in the cup was comparatively cairn, although seething and bubbling with the terrific heat beneath. Mr. Warbr'ck spent his early life in Auckland where he served his apprenticeship as a boat builder under the late Mr. Charles Bailey Senr., and rose to the position of foreman buihler. This experience stood him in good stead when he came to the Rotorua , area and he was able to build some of ! the first boats used on the lakes in . the district.