THE MOUNTAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 118, 4 October 1912, Page 4

THE MOUNTAIN.

Taranaki. weather is a variable quantity, but.it is to be hoped that to-day, at any rate, the elements will be kinder than they promise for the ceremony, of opening ; the new Mountain House. Those who. have the misfortune to live outside Taranaki are apt to regard Mount Egmont, "our peaceful and, picturesque aountaip, as' , belonging to. Taranaki, whereas, as a matter of fact, Taran&ki belongs to it. It is the'province's crowning glory, and we should be quite lost without' it. ' Quite uhconsciously, perhaps, it acts, in its infinite •sublimity, as ap insjfiratiqn and an influence, even when ive are'dealing in dairy stoiSk in terms - o'f jjouMs, shillings [ and pence. There is; probably,'no more quietly impressive natural spectacle'ijr-New Zea-land,-and'whilst we-al-e hot responsible for this lordly mountain, wli'ose' charm stays even, the morning star in its steep course, we can . still be legitimately proud of. it. But we . have to " exploit our beauties, however unnecessary the task may seem, and those 'people who dwell in other less fortunate parts of the Dominion must be cater,ed for if wc are to secure their attention.- The' new Mountain House, which ha? been- fully described iii our eol trains, is,ai> edifice that we can' wejl be proud of,, aad a credit: to., the enthusiastic body of people who are responsible for its : erection. There are those in our midst who maintain that the: Structure is on too ambitious a scale, and -cannot for some years.be expected'to pay, but it is far better; in a matter of this kind,: to anticipate. requirements' than' lag. in ,the rear ofthem.. As a matter,of fact, there has: been. a ; need for first-class accommodation on the Mountain for years past. The; old houses have been; well conducted and ; good enough in their way, but tTicre is a no,inconsiderable proportion of people even in our/midst tvho" desire 'allthe comforts of 'a : home when they are' on holiday or , health-recruiting bent, and ,who| bave.not;been prepaid to dp thelittle "roiighing" .■ entailed in, stopping at the. old houses. ■ As r for average' tourist, lie'is in, thp habit of doing himself well; and .would'never think of ,go-. ing to a place: there wasC'evto' the suspicion''of discomfort. 'At'tfee new hostteli'y,.tlie.' 'accommodation ■ sji'ouid satisfy even the most exacting and fas.tidious tourist.' If the House does not pay | immediately, the fact should not givej.a great deal of concern, for it must prove of considerable benefit to the district and fill a need:that has beeri 'long felt. No better place for' recruiting health or spending a wholesome, enjoy-, able; holiday than' Mount Egmont exists in Australasia, and when ■ its beauties and' merits*' are! better known ■ outside, hundreds of people will be glad to. worship, at the feet of our majestic monument. The opening of the hostelry today must bfe accounted an important in the annals of Taranaki, and we hope the elements will be more propitioius than they have been of late, and may not mar the success of the function.' While on the subject, we. cannot rifrain from expressing regret that better transit arrangements had not been made for to-day. We are persuaded that a large number of people would have' gladly participated in the affair had they known they could have made the trip at a reasonable cost.- If. the new Mountain House is to become as popular as we all hope it will,' it is necessary that there should be an effi-, cient and reasonably cheap, mp tor prvehicular service from New Plymouth. In this connection the stablekeepers, motor-hirers and the Mountain House Committee can serve both the public and their own interests. •' ■