TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 94, 18 October 1910, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

MOUNT COOK. THE TOURIST TRAFFIC. [BT TELIGRAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The tourist traffic to Mount Cook this year is expected to be heavier than in any previous season. Seats in the mo- j tor-cars which convey visitors from Fairlie to the Hermitage have been booked for three months ahead, and an additional car has been obtained for the carriage of tourists. The Minister of Tourist Resorts ithe Hon. T. Mackenzie) has had under consideration for some time a proposal that a new Hermitage should be provided, and a isite for the larger building has been virtually selected. Yesterday morning on leaving Mount Cook, the Prime Minister inspected thesite, and he afterwards told a Lytteiton Times reporter that in the interests of the increasing number of tourists who were yearly visiting Mount Cook some additional temporary accommodation should be provided at the existing Hermitage; but it- should be only temporary, for the reason that before long the Government would have to undertake the building of a new Hermitage, with reasonable accommodation for the large number of visitors who went to Mount Cook, and were compelled to stay there. The new building should, in his opinion, be erected on the proposed site near Governor's Bush about three-quarters of a mile from the existing buildings. • That site possessed natural advantages, incomparably greater than the one now occupied. It was nearer to the point from which visitors set out for the Tasman Glacier — the objective of the majority of the tourists. It had the advantage being on an elevation with a sunny aspect, which, unfortunately, the present building did not possess, as it was overshadowed, especially during the winter, by Mount Wakefield — a spur of Mount Cook. A fine supply of water would be available. The site of the present Hermitage, though it had served its turn and had done good work, suffered from an excessive supply of water from the mountains; and during the winter months was overflowed. In any case, there was no space available for the erection of permanent additions of a suitable character to the* Hermitage. It would be impracticable to obtain the site of the buildings for a new structure, as the building operations must necessarily be carried out during the summer months, and the removal of the old building would prevent any visitors going to Mount Cook during one season. The new work would have to be carried out without any dislocation of the requisite accommodation.