THE WEST COAST SOUNDS.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 25, 31 January 1899, Page 5

THE WEST COAST SOUNDS.

Taking advantage of the presence on the Waikare of several gentlemen who have travelled a great deal and seen the beauty-spots of both hemispheres, a representative of the Post elicited a comparison of other renowned places with our own West Coast Sounds. Mr. F. C. Grove, who was for three years President of the Alpine Club, London,- and who has carried his alpenstock to many of the world's high places, said he was much struck with the grandeur of our Sounds scenery, and especially with the extraordinary abruptness of the cliffs and mountains, and with the marvellous sights of Milford. Smyth Channel, which is located south of Valparaiso, was the nearest comparison he could find to Milford Sound, and then the South American scenery* was not nearly so grand as that of Milford. Another gentleman who was enthusiastic in his praise of, the cruise was Mr. E. W. Roper, a well-known Christcliurch merchant, who drew his comparisons from visits to the Yosemite Valley, Yellowstone Park, and other American sights and travels in Japan and Europe, but had nowhere seen the equal of New Zealand's Sounds for scenery or met with treatment equal to that shown passengers by the Union Steam Ship Company. Mr. Roper found the track to Sutherland Falls by no means difficult — within the capacity of anyone equal to a six-mile walk. Hia impression of the whole cruise was that he had crowded three days' pleasure into the ordinary 24 hours, and the resultant feeling was to make him proud of his colony as he heard the exclamations of delight drawn from the lips of other tourists. Mr. George Hutchison, M.H.R., who has seen almost all of Maorilaad's shov places, said that no. other sight approached the unique glory of Milford Sound. Asked whether, as a legislator and critic, he thought all was being done that might bo done by the State to facilitate approach to the inland sights from the Sounds, particularly the Sutherland Falls, Mr. Hutchison replied that he thought all reasonable steps were being taken. A gang of 40 roadmen had been engaged during the season making a track, and the road provided to the Falls was very fair. Rain had considerably interfered with the progress of the work, but by next season he had -no doubt that tourists would be able to get to the Falls overland from Christchurch, whilst from Milford Sound the way to the Falls would be made very easy. Mr. Hutchison also endorsed all the good things which had been said about Captain Richardson's management of the Waikure excursion.