THE LAST STAGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 43, 30 November 1938, Page 6

THE LAST STAGE

OVER THE HIGH LINDIS PASS. FAREWELL TO CENTRAL OTAGO. FARMERS’ TOURING PARTY. It was a morning of glorious sunshine, with hardly a breath of wind, and with only a few flecks of cloud in the sky, when the Ashburton farmers’ touring party, which spent last week in the south, carried out their final packing and bade farewell to the district that had treated them to experiences that will long live in thenmemories.

They had been hospitably received by tiie people and they had spent a week of fast travelling from point to point, every hour of daylight, almost, being spent in inspecting irrigated farms and making small side excursions to points ol interest under the guidance of Mr G. G. Caldcr (ol the Agriculture Department, Alexandra), who made a friend of every member of the party. The itinerary of the visitors was worked out by Mr Calder, and that he made a thorough job of it was demonstrated in the expressions of appreciation made by tire party as the tour came to an end.

it was just after 8 o’clock on Saturday morning when the party left the Wanaka Hotel at Pembroke, facing a journey of about 250 miles, the first portion of which was to take them over the famous Hindis Pass through seme of the-wildest country they had seen. Mr Calder accompanied the party for some miles into the Hawea. Flats before ho turned off and headed for l is homo town, and the party bade him a reluctant adieu.

Tributes to Officers. At the cross-roads the visitors left the 'buses, and, on their behalf, Mr S. Crosson expressed appreciation of all that Mu Calder had done for the party. He added that the Mid-Canterbury Executive had been very gratified at the response to its invitation to farmers to make the trip, and he was sure that a great amount of good would come out of their experiences. Mr Crosson thanked Messrs W. McKellar and I . IL Falconer, of the Agriculture Department, stationed in Ashburton County in connection with the irrigation survey work, for having linked up with the party, and said that the farmers were to be congratulated on the type of young man who liad charge of the, Department’s affairs. Farmers were apt to look on Some of these officers as beings apart, but when they got to know the men they found they were extremely human after all, and always anxious to help the man on the land in whatever problems they came upon.

Endorsement of these sentiments was voiced by Messrs J. Davidson, A. Brown and F. G. Greenslade.

Replying, Mr Caldor said he was very pleased to hear what had been said, and he hoped that what the party had seen in Central Otago would bo of some value to them.

Cheers were given for Mr Caldor who was also given musical honours and the journey was resumed.

Into the Lindis Pass

After some miles of travel over down country that held much of interest ior the party because of the cropping ; hat was to he soon on either side of the road, the ’buses began the climb over the Lindis Pass, and though the grade was in many places severe, the good road permitted the crossing of the divide without undue delay. Formerly the road was a most difficult one, hut gangs of men under the Public Works Department have lately been at work there and much straightening of bends and filling in of gullies lias been carried out, while in places a wide, new road lias been built. This is not yet ready in its full length for traffic, and the ’buses had to keep to the old road. When the new road is open to travellers the steepness of many miles of the Pass will be eliminated. The camps of workmen, lonely places, were encountered in a number of the valleys, and at one it was noticed that a number of, seagulls, probably from the West Coast, were milling around above the tents and diving for tit-bits of food that were thrown to them by the men who wore preparing the midday meal.

Heat. Haze of Noon. For the most part the surrounding country was uninteresting from the scenic point of view, but there were, now and again, breaks in the long line of rolling bills through which were to be had brief glimpses of distant mountain ranges, blue and shimmering in the heat haze of noon. Again, a high peak, far off, with its crown deepcoated in snow, towered to the sky ; but these vistas were soon shut off as the hills of the pass crowded down on the road.

And all the time the ’buses laboured up the grade, climbing, climbing till at last the final rise was conquered and a fast run down the other side commenced.

By and by open country was reached, and the party noted the sparsoness of the vegetation, the lack of food for the slice]), and the rather poor condition of some of tin l flocks. Through OmaI'aina and on toward the Waitaki River liie route lay and for some distance the party travelled eastward with only the liver between them and their home province. Larger and larger grew the river till it spread over a quarter of a mile and presently the start of the lake formed by the backing up of the water at the hydro-electric works was reached. Within a few minutes the party had disembarked at the station, where they were shown the machinery by Mr G. Watson, formerly of Ashburton. Another few miles took them to Ivurow, where lunch was partaken of, and the last stage of the journey was started, through the Waihao Gorge

and Waimate to the -Main South road and so northward for homo.

The party learnt many lessons in regard to the application of irrigation in Central Otago, and there was not a moment ol the trip that was not lull of interest, even on those occasions when the weather seemed ready to upset the carefully-laid plans ol the organisers.

" Speaking to a “Guardian” reporter as the journey neared its end, the leader of the party (Mr C. C. YVinn, president of the Mid-Canterbury Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union) said that, the leadership of the party had been made remarkably easy for him bv the excellent spirit ol cooperation which had prevailed throughout. He did not think there was one member of the party who regretted having made the visit, and throughout, the week In* had not heard one word ol complaint.