Two Hours’ Fishing Without Luck

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31047, 30 April 1966, Page 1

Two Hours’ Fishing Without Luck

(N.Z. Press Association) TAUPO, April 29. The Queen Mother caught nothing but enjoyed nearly two hours’ fishing in the Waiotaka river in driving rain today. The wife of the GovernorGeneral (Sir Bernard Fergusson) was the only member of the party who succeeded. She landed a 3 J lb Rainbow trout. “She’s the heroine. She got her fish,” said Sir Bernard Fergusson, when he and Lady Fergusson, both clad in waders, arrived at the Wairakei Hotel with the Queen Mother at 5.55 p.m. They posed for photographers at the hotel entrance, Lady Fergusson holding her catch. Sir Bernard Fergusson displayed a 4jlb trout caught by an Internal Affairs Department field offi-

cer from the Tongariro State hatchery, Mr R. Veitch. He was among officials assisting with arrangements for today’s outing.

“It was a lovely day—great fun,” said Sir Bernard Fergusson.

The party’s third—and final —trout was caught by Air Commodore J. H. L. Blount, captain of the Queen’s Flight. Undaunted by the steadily falling rain and sodden landscape, the Queen Mother, members of her household, and the Governor-General and Lady Fergusson set out for the Waiotaka river at 11 a.m., about 40 miles from Wairakei. A 16ft blue and white caravan, identical with one used by the Queen Mother at Wanaka, was parked on a terrace for the party’s use.

The party also used a 30ft by 10ft fishing cottage, formerly part of an old work camp. The muddy road taken by the Queen Mother to the site passes the Hautu prison farm, and continues four miles up the river.

The Queen Mother wore a beige waterproof wind-

breaker, grey jacket, and wool slacks—with a pearl necklace and thigh waders. As a concession to the rain, she put a waterproof cowl over her wide-brimmed fishing hat, and later donned a plastic raincoat. Among the equipment she took with her was the rod presented to her by the community of Taupo at its public welcome yesterday. This was 9ft two-piece Scottie rod, with a 3| reel made in England especially for Taupo conditions. Throughout the day, however, she used the split-cane 9ft rod she selected at Wanaka to take north.

“The line is perfectly bal-

anced to the rod,” a Wildlife Division official said. After returning to Wairakei, the Queen Mother received the New Zealand artist, Peter Mclntyre, and the paramount chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe, Mr Hepi te Heu Heu. Each was accompanied by his wife.