TOURING THE "COAST."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 772, 22 March 1910, Page 8

TOURING THE "COAST."

. LORD PLUNKET'S TRIP. {'ALPS TUNNEL AND ELSEWHEEE. : ; Accompanied by Captain Shannon, 'A.D.C., Mr. H. .Ci Waterfield (private ..secretary), and: for part of the time •by the Hon. George Fowlds (Minister in 'attendance), and.the twoW Misses iPowlds, his. Excellency the' Governor .arrived back from ;the West Coast, via Christchurch,'on; Sunday morning, after a very enjoyable trip .'to what is one of the most interesting: parts of New Zealand. ; ' '■"■• ■•' "•'■

[y ; Mr,;Waterfield informed a Dominion tvt v : :: representative that ■ the West Coast t : : ;S'' ;tour commenced■- at; Greymoutb, where [■:'■:.: the party arrived.on March 9. On the fe~;./ &™e day the schools were inspected; \: : -. ;^? e was an -official: luncheon at midi:.)':- :';day; and in the afternoon .his: Excel- |: .■:: :■ >leney opened the' new Petrie wing /of \/..r '■■■ the .hospital.-;-;A Masonic function foll:lj:, : ■'owed/in; the' evening. ;On March 10 I :-. .:; ■•; '.- his Exoeklncy proceeded to Westport,: (-!•■"■'.■ .' w here heavy rain made things rather 1;,:/;;..unpleasant.: ,'■ Next dav, he was pre- |; .;;;;■ seated,, with^any official address, after y : :'■'. . which the harbour .works, and a stone ; ji. quarry, were inspected, and later still ;•; : tne.-6ranity and Another -coal-mine, f:: : :r In, the everiing,he was entertained at a [;V;.':; gathering of the Masonic Order. On I ... March 12 the party proceeded to Eeef- • v .-ion, where his: Excellency was the ref.";-- crpient of .an address of welcome Dur;i-: . Ong,the afternoon, of the succeeding day 'O' ro^ay—lie visited the local hospital: ■ Un the Monday morning Lord Plunket i, ■.-,.■■- Wd the round bf.th'e public and prif : ;Vate schools, andlater attended a publ :- : . The same afternoon he Li; • • aertifor-lHokitika. Next , morning his ~..,.-Jixcenency: and .a large party proceeded ;.;>; >'-up ; tlie .Mahinapua Greek, to -the lake • ■:.- an' al;.fresco Itmoh was laid-in- ;.;.;;-:.. [tlwse hue,: sylvan', surroundings peculiar I ;.,-../ It. was 'one of the most .-,.!.-. .jenjoyable days of :thetonr. OnreturnV- ' ™S to ': the station, an'.'Voffieial recepI- • : .'tran..; took place, .'.this : .being ■ followed '';■ : 'by .a Jight banquet: in the evening! ■ i--':. -_.On_March 16 Eoss was'visited. There .;:;. , : ;ii.s : ExceUency and Captain Shannon j, :v/ ; .-.:..-descended 400 ft. (in a bucket) into the !;.,-■■ : mine.- Captain Shannon states that s.-: ; f> r , ahmt the first;soft. the water only t .: ; tell on them like a shower of rain, but > , ~ went lower, it was like being :" . _: \tader: a ■ waterfall, . and . breathing F;...-■ ; was.:, a 'somewhat.,.difficult . matter. k : ;: : i Sor;-:-;.;.all -that '■'. the - powerful :.,,,.: jumps with which :the works were supt;,'V .iphed seemed to :be able to 'cope with j. :'M emergencies. . :A little .'way out of ~... ...Koss i the party had the pleasure of infr: the Butler sawmill,. said to bo ;.;., •tlio ] mast., up-to-date ...and periectly=i;y.. equipped .mill, of its kind in Austra- ' .:i a sia. j Mr.;..Butler- , has iiof long • reN>: from a' trip :round the-world,, s;;-,:, .during which tripi he has been busy in-' :• ;■-.■;;;. .'Bpecting all kinds, of-milling mabhinerv p:,*! the labour-saving order. . I- ■■ ~O n, Ma r=h. \l. Kumara : : was ; visited ■ -..- ; A concert was given in the. evening, y : iis Excellency attending,,-but owing fo i.:; -.inree deaths having one I:::.. a gentleman .whom his Excellency i;.. : . "': -.: ".ad met on a_previons visit to'the town ™ ne proceedings were very aniet • £: : ,... iWhilst at Kumaja Lord Plunket opened :..:■:■& new wing of the hospital, and in- ;-:,.:.: -Bpected. a.neighbouring sluicing' claim; |~ .-Next day the:vice-regal party went-on< : ™ Otira by special coacli. -They visited

-■ : " if- v™? 01 m ::. a runny'little 'railway, : ;:■:.-. which discommoded no one when two ' i;.-,. - ;■ wheels of the little motor . engine '.tefr k !f,.•.■•■- the. rails. .His Excellency, Captain " t; :i : :t Bha ? n °n,,:and,,jMr. •Waterfield, accomlr; ; panied by guides.:and clad in-oilskins- t :. : went up,to the face—three-quarters of I t , : ~».mile inte.the Alps, :-,-It was wet ; and ;:■:-: pitch dark except .for -the faint -light c j; . . (given . by ; thd lamps which the party 1 ;: . *?™ed.: Now-and again there came an a !; ■ --.-- '■' , air .v s bock", from the works, blowing s

jv-.; >..;'• the -lights, out -altogether,- but the party. ' l ; K in . a g ed somehow ;in .the-. Egyptian- ;. •■•■:,. Wackness; ~lt:was; a matter :of little i-'-'" • ■■■■ them to' walk into : : : * horse, and apparently the horses were. i ■■.■.-,■. -quite:used to snch meetings in the subterranean; darkness.- Next morninc thev the Bealey end of the tunnel v<.fU-mow advanced something less than a p< 7 f a mile, but as a good-deal ;; : ...|M-. trouble is .being experienced with pv *ne water, and.there was really.nothing ;■:.."■• atew_ to.see, they'.did not penetrate the V ... working. ;-.-.-. ..■;■•.. ;/■;. ■ His accompanied:by•Cap- ;, ~ tarn Shannon, and Mr. .Waterfield, leaves .;- tor the'south this evening to pay fare- .;/■;..; -well visits to the towns in South'Cani.■■=£-. -terbury,Otago,.and Southland. ..It is ;.. .probable : that. the Hbn D. Buddo and i;. llater: Sir Joseph... Ward will" accompany ::,. Uus Jixcelle-icy, who,anticipates returni..:••-. Jjng to .Wellington on April 9../ . '