AN INTREPID CUMBER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 27 January 1923, Page 17

AN INTREPID CUMBER

",The Conquest of the New Zealand ', Alps," by Samuel Turner, F.R^G.S. '■T. Fisher Unwin,- London.

Mr. Samuel Turner, a resident of Wellington, has a distinguished record as a mountain climber. In the course of business travel. he has taken opportunities to climb mountains wherever they came within his itinerary. He has climbed the Altai, between Siberia and Mongolia, he has scaled the Andes, sleeping at 20,506 feet up on Acoricagu*. He began in Switzerland 27 years ago; and he is. able to say, "I have conquered New Zealand's most difficult mountains more than oncft." From what Mr. Turner writes about mountaineering; it is irresistible, once on« is."bitten with the_ microbe." He holds that the mountains of New Zealand are equal in, difficulty to, but very much." more inaccessible than, the Gropon, Charmpz, or similar aigulles in Switzerland." Mr. Turner has quite a number of witnesses to the truth of his assertion. His wbi-k in New Zealand and in.other countriofi when mountaineering has necessitated somewhat rigorous training and self-discipline. Mr. Turner neither smokes nor drinks, as the terms ate understood, and one d? the secrets of hie success is summed up in the following sentence : The best respect a climber can show ths mountains is to keep himself in the pink of condition by all kinds of exercises when mountains axe not available.. Of tbs mountains of New Zealand, Mr. Turner thinks that tha world is only just beginning to ijealiae how difficult aad inaccessible they are; also "the exceptional. mountaineering skill and endurance a climber awrt put forth, to gain succobb." In his book he describes climbo made in New Zealand in every year from 1912 to 1918., Then he tells how ho climbed Mount Cook alone, and planted his flag there; also the great personal risks h« undertook in his self-imposed task. This wds oil 6th March, 1919. He spent only a few minutes on the summit; and even they were too* many; because it vsaa over late in the day to be there. He describes in plain but graphic terms tiio' wonderful outlook from tho top of this majestic peak, and;' considering the magnitude of hie effort and the courage he displayed in making it, he is,modest in the description of his sensations.. He is pardonably proud of his great, achievement. It was not, however, undertaken without opposition. Of this Mr. Turner also speaks-plainly and with, a little natural feeling. "The open opposition to my solitary conquest of Mount Cook," he" writes, "was .. . . very severe. Not only, did 1 find quite a lot of. people at the Hermitage asking mo 'Didn't I consider my wite and. family". but' the guides wore openly ridiculing my attempt, and no doubt most' of the tourists had pictures draw.-i of me as having no possible . chance or hope of climbing Mount' Cook alone." Incidentally, it should be mentioned that Mr. Turner is a man. That means a lot ,to those who know Englishmen. Fully prie: fourth-of this interesting account of alpining.in New Zealand is taken iiji with an attempt in 1919 to climb Mount Tutoko, 9691 feet, and situated, in the fjord country, going in from Milffard Sound. Mr- Turner examines and. criticises some previous attempts to scale this mountain and attain its.peak. A partial ascent was made by Mr. Turner then. The next year he matU another attempt, and the list 6i stores and equipment made the climb look more like an exploring expedition than anything else. It must have co3t a lot of money to undertake the climb. But from what;,one gathers from Mr. Turner's description it was worth every penny. He has done good work for the Dominion in his Tutoko expedition in making known'the magnificent scenery of the country leading to the object of his alimbj. With Mr. MacPherson, a Government surveyor, and another companion, Mr. Turner reached to within 200 or 250 feet of the summit 6i Tutoko al 5 p.m., too late to proceed farther, with oven the slight degree of safety that the circumstances afforded. It was a gallant try, and the weather was bitterly cold. But Mr. Turner, apparently, will never rest until he actually climbs Tutoko to the summit and leaves his name there. One thing he did acfomplish, which lays the . Government under a debt of obligation to him. That was a sp'lendid_ set of, photographs o! the Tutoko region, the,peak itself, the bush, and tte. rivers, greatly en> Ranee the vahie of hiß written work. It,is satisfactory to know that enlargements' of tho pictures have been exhibited in .London! where they jiO doubt attracted the attention of alpinists and others unfamiliar with what New Zealand has to show the worid in the matter of mountain scenery. Mr..Turner acknowledged the help, he has received from the High Commissioner's office in London, the Tourist and' Lands Department in' New Zealand, and from guides and other climbers. He devotes a section of his work to hint 3to ciimbera in New Zealand. , .