IN THE ALPS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 725, 26 January 1910, Page 7

IN THE ALPS.

DR. FINQU.Y ON HOLIDAY. ' QUESTION 03? ACCOMMODATION. \ ' . Tho Hon. Br. ITindlny, who, witli hia family, has spending a'bhef. lioli- ." • day_at Tho Hermitage; Moiml Coo&,'saidl (luring tho of a conversation-with ■ a Dominion ropresentativo:yestcrday,'-tliat : - ;,there ;Vas; .'a general v-impressibtt i that' it V took two or three days to get from Weli . lingt6n;br 'CilristchiirctL.to. theßermitagej; and'- thatVUnless lone Werfi; a- good'\Alpinet V climber,: the 1 trip;. shouldnotbe'uhder-i As a matter of fact,'.ono' could ■ lcavo: A'H' Christchurch by.' tho .first express -at- 8> • : a.m., motor from. Timaru,- ana'reach tho f Hermitage ' 'at ■ of thesamG day ■ —a twelve hours' trip. :He himself had ' accomplished tho journey ill. 7. h6iirs-50\ minutes, and: it had' been done id less. Btit' ; .he:,considered;.t)iat.' his , own • time- r'l- 1 represented the. limit':for 1 s&fe'.'And practlcablo- travelling... The road was fairly- ' good .all tho way,. and with the complo-j : tion ■of - one. or ( two; small *■ bridges now! under ; construction, ''.there would 'be nCH "i i>' trouble about getting through during' thai ' surnmeh ,:. v Tho Scenery lei route was 'superb,arid.l he knew: of;no place in New Zealand], v. where lone could recuperate better from] V the' fatigue of \ over-work than in these* altitudes. Tho Hermitage was 2500 ft.: abovo sea-level, and ■ 'within vlfiftcett-'l jiV -minutes of the Muller Qlncier, andotherfea tares '.of interest, . year tourists.'; £ > were , visiting the, region in greater., num-' V/ ,bers.;:.:'.The i Hermitage ..hadi been^/mors.'V.v:';.: than full sovetal times since the'' begin:iring oi'the/season; and/during. tho pre' ■ -A sent month, over: fifty .visitors had had to! ' " •be .refused.-:atesnmiodiitioniV ; j'.ThS''; build" ing, : an, old oho, had been added ;to >by< ■ ' the'Government:irpm';"time.to;timo/lWti's.:-'''; tljd 1 . inbreasb.: of ■■ traffic vhadA created'jthai}';!'; necessity yfor:;!, increased- .accommodationjV.'iJv; ,:: and, these matters he intended' t6; bring':': :. ' under: the attention of his colleaiubA'thei'v i:'« -Hon. : T.. Mackenzie who,,he felt sure,'would deal -with:-them promptly.. An amount of» iSOflfl.liad two v . years; ago ; been . placed. on the' Estimates' '■: -i'ofaccommodation . at, -Mountl Cook,-, but y£.T. 'the •; money V had 1 not : been j.expended, • as,'j.'%h the - tourist■: .traiiio had 'increased J - at; so:^ :i :' rapid a/fate that: itiwas-difficult to.Vsti-v' mate what-accommodation .would.: be : ade-': v ;v-' quate.: wotild .'be . considerably/lv'fj; improved', withthe: completion": of. i" the -.It bridging and tho erection of. the: huts.' , :The latter would: be of an inexpensive.', typo.