AMERICAN TOURISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 January 1926, Page 3

AMERICAN TOURISTS

PRAISE COAST SCENERY. “I think your country is wonderful; I am just crazy about the scenery,” said Miss K. Hubbard, of Colorado, a member of the American tourist party which returned to Christchurch, from . the West Coast on Tuesday. The party visited the Buller Gorge and other scenic attractions in that district. Some of the visitors also went as far south as the Franz Josef Glacier, but the trip was somewhat marred by very wet weather. Others visited Punakaiki, the Coastal scenic resort, 27 miles north of Gr,eymouth, and were greatly impressed by the unique pancake formation. They were enthusiastic about the tree ferns, and described the motor drive through the Buller Gorge as entrancing. Equally beautiful, but in contrast to the softness of the scenery encountered on this drive, the mighty bush-clothed slopes of the Alps through which the Otira Gorge road winds like a ribbon created a lasting impression on the visitors. The opinion was freely expressed that, properly advertised, the West Coast was destined to be one of the show places of the world. Miss Hubbard said that she had a mountain home in Colorado and had toured the European Alps and other mountains, but she had never seen more magnificent mountain scenery. She deprecated the naming of our

mountains and glaciers with German and Austrian names, especially when the Maori language was so beautiful. “The growth on the mountains,” continued Miss Hubbard, “was just as luxuriant as in a hothouse. We have more brilliant growth in the States, but it is not so tropical. I could talk for a mqnth about your scenery, but, oh! the rain on the West Coast! However, it's good for the complexion,” she concluded. Mr. I. D. Strelitz said that New Zealand would probably have a great influx of American tourists in the future. “We have exhausted the other show places of the world, Europe and the tropics, and now your country is beginning to be known as a great place for scenery and sport.” Several of the tourists spoke of the great need that still exists for good tourist hotels at the scenic resorts. Generally, they found the city hotels quite comfortable, whilst the country hotels were all very clean and tolerably comfortable. There was a need they said, for observation cars, which would allow travellers to enjoy the beautiful scenery .of the country.