TEKAPO HOUSE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 900, 2 November 1956, Page 5

TEKAPO HOUSE

Sir,-The "building" in the title photo of your recent article "Ballad Makers of the Mackenzie Country" is but a caricature of the beautiful Tekapo House. (It is really the Pukaki Hotel.) The context of both ballad and article refers to Tekapo Hotel, long known as Tekapo House, situated at the outlet of Lake Tekapo, into which the Godley River flows, with the Godley Peaks to the north-west. The line "For whisky is forbidden here" refers to the fact that many years ago T. D. Burnett, of Mt. Cook Station, bought the original Tekapo Hotel and allowed the licence to lapse. This was done because of the carousals which took place when the shearers and station hands got their cheques and spent them at the hotel, Tekapo House, as rebuilt in concrete in 1919, is well-designed inside, and its attractive exterior appearance is enhanced by a picturesque and wellsheltered site-in every respect the antithesis of the Pukaki "building" which was done by the Works Department about ten years ago. For over half a century this has been a favourite tourist house where, for a moderate tariff, people could enjoy a pleasant, sunny holiday. It was financially successful, too, without any bar trade, But to provide more water storage for electric power the Government bought it some years ago and closed it, The Works Department has also destroyed the picturesque old bridge built in 1880. Thus at a time when great efforts are being made to develop the tourist industry,

one of the most attractive South Island resorts has been abolished, Perhaps you would encourage Ernie Slow to write another ballad entitled, "The Rape of Tekapo House." G.M.M. (Wellington).