LEGISLATORS VISIT MOUNT COOK

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 287, 4 September 1928, Page 6

LEGISLATORS VISIT MOUNT COOK

THE ALPS SEEN AT THEIR ' BEST Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, September 3. The Parliamentary party that made the week-end visit to Mount Cook reached Christchurch this evening by the express train from Timaru, and went on to Wellington by the Wahine. The outing was a thoroughly enjoyable one, and specially interesting. It was made under somewhat unusual circumstances, as from the Fairlie A alley onward the whole country was clothed with a recent snowfall sparkling under brilliant sunshine. Ae Tekapo, where the party were' entertained at luncheon by Mr. T. D. Burnett, M.P., tlie mountain ranges surrounding the lake and the fine peaks flanking the Godley Glacier River made a magnificent picture that will' not soon fade from the memory of the excursionists. Farther on, the Ben Ohan range was clothed in snow from summit to base. The same weather that deferred the aeroplane flight across the Tasman Sea had piled up a mass of cloud on the highest summits of the Southern Alps, and the giants of the range were only partially visible. The Hermitage was reached shortly after darkness fell, and there a warm welcome awaited the party, who had made the journey across the snow-clothed Mackenzie Plains and up the Tasman Valley under unusual conditions for this time of the year. That night there were just upon 100 guests housed in the comfortable Hermitage. The Parliamentary party were the guests at a special dinner given by the company, Mr. Wigley presiding. Many speeches were made by the Parliamentarians, briefer and with more latitude than Mr. Speaker would allow in Parliament. All the speakers praised the enterprise of the company and the comfort and efficient service that they found at the Hermitage, but it was left to Mr. A. Rodger, an Englishman on his third visit to New Zealand, to paint in glowing colours the beauty of tlie scenery and the quality of tlie people of the Dominion. So much was the. excursion enjoyed by all who took part in it, that it was practically settled that a similar excursion will be held next year. Hints were given during the evening that the company is likely to be lurgerly concerned in another venture to be developed on a large scale in the North Island.