THE HON T. MACKENZIE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13909, 7 December 1910, Page 10

THE HON T. MACKENZIE.

PROPOSED VISIT TO MOUNT COOK.

The Hon. .T. ' Mackenzie passed through Christchurch yesterday morning on his way to the Clutha. In the .course'of a brief chat.he said that after the long session there was very little to report. Many; things. in his Department were in their experimental i stage. At Mount Cook they were going to build a new Hermitage, and on bis way back lie might visit Mount Cook and see about a site for the new building. It was proposed to bridge the Hooker river, and put a track over the mountain from the Hooker across to the Copland river, on the west side. The fruit farms which the Government intend establishing at Waerenga, •Mr Mackenzie said, would mark, the beginning of What might, some day, be an enormous fruit export trade from .the Dominion. Each farm will" be of about five acres, and £150 is to be advanced to each person taking up a farm. His officers assured him that the scheme would be a success shipments of fruit Homo' having demonstrated that it is possible to land fruit of the right varieties at remunerative prices. Mr Mackenzie mentioned that he had received a telegram to the effect that the ascent arid- descent of Mt. Cook by Miss DufaUr, of Sydney, was accomplished in fourteen hours and a half. The guides wore Messrs Pi and A. Graham. The ascent was made by the Earle route, on the western face. Regarding the chamois liberated in the South-sometime ago*' Mr Mackenzie stated that Mr P. Graham, "one of the guides at Mt. Cook, had written him as follows:—*■" When making an ascent of the western spur of Mount Wakefield, a low peak on the southern range of Mount Cook, on November 28th, I was pleased to sight four of the chamois. I was fortunate in being able to obtain a near view of them, and watched their movements for some time before being observed. Though they were four does they were not all together, but in pairs, two being; some 500 feet higher up the mountain-side than the others. % All of them were looking well and in splendid condition, and were apparently well acclimatised and satisfied with their new home."

To-day Mr Mackenzie will attend the show at Gore, and he will be in Mosgiel to-morrow. He does not know when he will return North. He is sure to spend a few days in Dunedin before returning to Wellington. Mr McKenzie is not going Home next year.