"TARANAKI."

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1916, Page 6

"TARANAKI."

LADY CUMBERS,

FROM Tin-; HOSTELRY

As quite a number of ladies make the ascent of .Mount hginont every year, it may be of interest to know 'how they lure on the whole during the journey to the sumuiij;, During the summer season just ended between 30 and 40 ladies have made an attempt at the ascent troin the North House, accompanied by a guide. Of this number only five faii,,to. S!lin the summit, which speaks well tor the stamina of the "weaker ise.v." On fully half-a-dozen occasions the weather conditions have been very much against the lady climber, yet in e\ ery case the summit lias been reached, and in the case of the ladies who vo not gained the top the weather conditions were good. Mr. Williams who has supplied ns with these facts, slates that it is the grim determination ot tile sex which has made them victorious under the adverse circumstances. One ladv made the as«ent f rom the North House in the face, of a youn® blizzard, crossed right over the crater and went down to the Dawson's Falls House, and then returned to th? North House, all this being done in the one day. The same lady was not fatigued to any great extent, either. Another lady on a certain Thursday, who had been packed in ice on the previr.ns Monday to abate a fever, left the hostel with a gentleman friend to "» 0 as Jar as Humphries Castle if she f3t lit- She returned home late in the evening, shoeless but happy, bavin* accomplished the feat of gaining the "summit without a guide. She. too, was none the worse for her trip on the morning following. Quite a number of the ladies wishing to climb have no idea is to what is really necessary in the way of clothing in order to make the trip easier and less wearisome. Mr. Williams left the summit one Sunday with a party of six men, all fully equipped with ciimbing gear, who were just congratulating themselves on having accomplished a vonderful feat when they met a lady with a gentleman friend just getting into the crater, who had not the slight" est requisite for mountain climbing." in fact, the lady could have (perhaps an hour or so earlier) walked into a ballroom just as she was. a mere man cannot describe the dress as a ladv wou d, but everything was white, shoes 1 stockings, dress and hat. No alpenstock, no sprigged boots, no short skirts no faee cream, and no snow glasses \ photograph was taken to prove that she had reached the crater. But, oh' what a wreck on the arrival home! To successfully climb one needs heavy sprigged boots, .hort skirts and bloomms. h ithout exception, those who have not gained the summit have been hampered by long, heavy skirts and light shoes. The regular gymnasium costume is the best thing for evcrv-dav use, both in climbing and rloin« the many walks around the hostel. Durin" the winter months, as many ladies may he I hmking of making the ascent (as the hostel, is open air the winter) it might be as- well to know the above tacts ana ?ome prepared, as with the assistance of a guide the ascent to tiie summit, over the fields of snow i s quite possible by the "weaker sex.'' T ,Yi si / or V ta ;' in " at 1,10 Nnrth F-ffmont Hostehy for the Easter holidays wereMr. and Mrs. Clung, Mr. aiid Mrs, Chmie, Mr. and Mrs. Hnrcourt, Mr Cockayne, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Berry, .Mr' Turner, Miss Brady (Wellington)'- Miss Brown (Wanganui), Mr. Murch, Mr Squire, Mr. Morshead (Haweral Miss v"'-i W °Vi tr \ r ' rc ? < Alu,lda nd), Mr. and Master Roberts (Inglewood). Mr. Short. Mr. W infield, Mrs. and the Misses Greatbateh, Mrs Bullock, Miss Leatham. Mr and M,s S Collis, Miss Esse, Miss. Leatham, Mr. Chrystal, Mr. Mead (V ew Plymouth).

The old house lias also been full for the holidays.

i'l. S. lu.'ner, the eminent mountain climber made the ascent to the summit on taste/ Sunday i„ the face of a. heavy storm, taking with him a ladv and two gentlemen,