STUDENTS ON TOUR

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 97, 18 January 1933, Page 7

STUDENTS ON TOUR

Australian Party’s Visit PRAISE FOR SCENIC WONDERS Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, Jan. 17. The opinion that the diversity of scenic forms to be found in New Zealand was remarkable was expressed this morning by Professor Macdonald Holmes, Professor of Geography at Sydney University, who is leading a party of nine students, comprising men and women, through the Dominion. The visitors, who spent last night here and left for the North Island this morning, landed at Wellington and came straight south to Christchurch, Timaru, aud Mount Cook, thence across to Queenstown and the Milford Track. The programme of the future includes visits to Toiigariro National Park, Rotorua, and the Waitomo Caves.

Two of the professor’s elder students left the main party and made a trip over to the Franz Josef and Tasman Glaciers, but they have since rejoined the others. A study of the fiord country was of greatest interest to the tourists, who have also been investigating glacial formations. Of especial interest to the party were the movements of the Tasman Glacier, which is thought to be expanding to the sides and growing shallower.

In the North Island the professor and his students will carry out research work into volcanic formations.

When invited to give a general opinion of the Dominion as he saw it, Professor Holmes said that the thing that struck him very pleasantly was the rural atmosphere as evidenced by the lovely aroma of hay, grass and hedges. In this respect he was reminded of the Old Country. In Australia there was nothing like it on a large scale.

The tourist facilities were extremely satisfactory on the Milford Track. There was a very fine hostel at each end and the huts erected at suitable intervals were noteworthy for the eomJort and convenience they afforded travellers. The fact that hot showers and a drying room were always available was much appreciated. Personally he had not found sandflies at all bad aud was only then beginning to itch from a few bites he had received.