THE FARMER EXCURSIONISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 5 July 1926, Page 10

THE FARMER EXCURSIONISTS.

IN A SNOWSTORM. EXD OF A PERFECT TRIP. (By Telegraph—Special to -Star.") FRANKTON JUNCTION, Sunday. On schedule time the first farmers' special excursion train arrived back in Frankton Junction on Saturday after a wonderful trip. Coming through the high lands of the King Country the tiTpin'ia saw the country under a heavy while mantle of frost and even snow. Passing the National Park just about daybreak, a grand view of the mountains was- obtained, with Ngauruhoe quietly smoking away. On the way homo'competitions were again hold, and tiie winners proved to be Messrs. N. Fulton (Tiiakauj and H.J. Scott (Putaruru ). On Friday in Ilawera the \A fiikato visitors were taken up Taranaki's one and only mountain—Mount Egmont— and while there the northerners had the unique treat of being in a snow storm. It was interesting to watch their excitement as they saw the first flakes coining down. But' into it they must go and feel the feathery flakes, and then back into the dining room, partly covered in Nature's white garb, and. to cap all, the South Tarnnni<iar> hosts almost took credit for giving their visitors such a treat as a snowstorm. A great crowd, including the Hon. O. Havrken, Minister of Agriculture, gathered on the Hawera railway station at 8.30 p.m. to farewell the South Aucklanders. Mr. Dynes Fulton, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, thanked ■ the people of Hawera for all the good things provided, and then, to the strains of "Auld Lang Syne," the farmers' special pulled out into the dark and started on the long ride home. When Hearing Frankton Junction Mr. K. McKenzie, on behalf of the first farmer excursionists, gave Mr. H. Welsh a small memento of the trip, signed by all of them. He said that a great deal of the success and the enjoyment of the trip had been due to the good work done by Mr. Welsh, anj, incidentally, the speaker said lie thought also that Mr. Welsh had done a lot to make the Railway Department more human. Mr. Welsh suitably responded.