RAILWAYS FOR SKI-ERS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 8

RAILWAYS FOR SKI-ERS

Government ConsideringBuilding Funiculars PREPARATION OF PLANS Dominion Special Service. Wchcka, February 5. The Tourist Department is investigating the possibility ot constiucting funicular railways to several of the major snowfields of the Dominion with the idea of developing them as ski-iug and mountaineering centres. This was announced this evening by Mr. L. J. Schmitt, general manager of the Department, who stated that while final claims had to be submitted to Cabinet he thought it certain that at least two or three of the railways would be built within the next two years.

Engineers ot the Public works Department are already preparing estimates for the construction of funicular lines, along those common in the winter resorts of Switzerland, at the Chateau Tongariro, the Hermitage at Mount Cook, Franz Josef Glacier, Waiho and the Fox Glacier at Weheka. All available data is being secured from Switzerland and other countries, where funicular transport has proved popular, and the work of preparing the plans is being pushed forward at a rapid pace. •T think that this method of transport will provide an excellent facility not only for those interested in seeing the mountains from a scenic point of view, but particularly for the rapidlyincreasing number of New Zealanders and visitors who are keen on that fascinating sport—ski-ing,” said Mr. Schmitt. "We have some splendid skiing fields in New Zealand, described by many experts from abroad as ranking with thg best in the world. We have a great advantage in that practically all our ski-ing grounds can be used all the year round, and it seems very necessary that something should be done to make them more accessible to the people. X feel certain that if we can build some of these funicular railways along the lines followed in Switzerland, where the ski-ers are taken up well above the snow line, or at least into snow,-and saved a long climb with their skis, it will give the tourist trade a great stimulant. It is quite likely that some will be built, if not this year, then during the next year or so. There is no doubt that eventually several will be built in New Zealand,”

Mr. Schmitt, who made the announcement after a trip up to Fox Glacier with the Minister of Railways, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and his party, mentioned how keenly Dominion and visiting ski-ers had advocated funicular lines to the snow aud emphasised his own view of the enormous possibilities. He pointed out the growth of winter sport in such countries as Switzerland and the extent to which the tourist trade there had been stimulated by the development of the funicular system at all the most important ski-ing centres in the Swiss Alps.

It is considered that no insuperable engineering difficulties would present themselves in the construction of short lines to the snow at any of the major winter resorts in New Zealand, although possibly in some cases it would be necessary at first to extend the road access to some of the points from which the lines would be built, but in no case apparently would this be a very costly undertaking. Electricity would be the motive power for any Hues built in the Dominion, and for tills reason the investigations include an inquiry into the available power supply at each resort.