Their Parents Would Have Been Astonished

Taupo Times, Volume VI, Issue 290, 29 August 1957, Page 1

Their Parents Would

Have Been Astonished

TWELVE excited youngsters — six girls and six boys — their ages ranging from 10 to 14 years. in the eare of Mr and Mrs N. A. Pointon, last Sunday afternoon began their weeks' skiing holiday, their headquarters Taupo Ski Club's new ehalet 011 Mount Ruapehu. The parents of one disappointed boy rang on Saturday liight to say that he was in the throes of influenza, and would not he, able to make the trip. fSix caiioads left Taupo at various times 011 Sunday morning. The last ar- ! rived at the clialet at three o'clock in the afternoon, which for safety reasons was the absolute deadline set hy the j organisers. Full -seale Blizzard At that time conditions were exceli lent, though the road surface was icecovered, From about 3.30 p.m. tlie weather, deteriorated rapidly. TVhen Mr Gillies Smith, Taupo Ski | Club president, left at 6.15 p.m. a Tui 1- ; seale blizzard was raging, and visibil- | ity was almost nil. It took him over Iialf an hour to cover the slope from the terminal to the Chateau, a distance of about four miles; the road-surface was like glass. Oue of the first tliings the children did when they arrived was to select their bunks. Quite naturally, they all wanted top bunks, but they quickly sorted themselves out — 011 tlie prineiple that possession is nine points of

| the law. As youngsters w ill wlien they 'ro away from home, the 12 future skiers cheerfully busied themselves with peeling potatoes and cutting kindling for the morning fire, plus any other odd chores there were to be done around the place. Wildly Excited The hut was swept out, and clothes packed neatly in drawers. Everything was ship-shape in a remarkably short time. Some of their parents would no doubt have heen widfe-eyed at the enthusiasm they liad for the job. Some of the children who had never seen snow before, were wildly excited, | but their desire to remain outside was quickly tempered with the desire to retreat to the warm, comfortable hut when a high wind developed and driving snow began to slash at their faees. All were hoping for some fine days, s so that they could receive instruction from Mr Noel Kerr in the sport of skiing. They are all due to return to Taupo on .Satur-day morning ; parents have been asked to collect. their children by 10 a.in., so that the hut will be free for skiers till the following afternoon. The next party of children, 14 of tliem, assemble there at three o'clock on Sunday afternoon. They will be in tlie care of Miss J. E. Armstrong and Mrs Godfrey Taylor.