'MID HAIL AND SNOW.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16569, 5 June 1914, Page 10

'MID HAIL AND SNOW.

WEDNESDAY’S STORM ON THE SUMMIT ROAD. WALKING PARTY NEARLY PERISHES. ROUGH EXPERIENCES ON MT. PLEASANT. To be on the top of Mount Pleasant in a snowstorm does not seem to bo a very desperate experience, but to have gob there through blinding hail, drenched to the skin, with a wind that buffets tho breath out of one, is a vastly different thing. That was the experience of a Christchurch lady and two little girls who went out on the climb on Wednesday morning. That they aro well enough to tell the tale to-day is due entirely to the kind offices of those who helped them through their troubles at different stages.

Tho party originally consisted of two ladies and throe little girls. Thoy left town by the midday tram for Sumner, and took the track leading to Mount Pleasant and its little tea cottage. Half-way up tho hill rain fell in torrents, but it was decided to push on under the impression that the way was noo very long. Drenched famines of children were met coming down the hill, but still the adventurers went forward. By this time they had divided into two parties, one lady and two children being in advance. Presently the little girl with tho second party ran forward to the others with tho news that tho more delicate lady who had lagged behind was in a state of collapse and could not go on, but was making her way across country to a whare on the lulls. Tho child was sent back with a message to push on, but did not come back, and presumably stayed with the second lady. The little party of three struggled up the track. It was a terrible experience. One of the little girls was absolutely contorted with the cold, and the sharp hail cut like razor blades. For fifteen minutes they were struggling against this blizzard at a height of 1300 ft with the wind whirling over the ridge from tho south-west. The lady, who told tho story, had to push on to tho cottage to prepare for the comfort of her little charges, and tho elder girl of twelve had practically to carry her little sister for the last sta'ge of the journey. This last stage wai accomplished in a blinding snowstorm, heavier, in the narrator’s experience, than anything she had ever seen at St Bathan’s, in Central Otago. The children were terrified, as it was their first experience of snow. The cottage was reached at last. It is only a email one, and a party of twenty-eight had to be accommodated in a trnpshed, where Mr and Mrs North,, tho hosts of the occasion, were plying them with hot coffee. To the latest arrivals the good couple were charity personified. They built a roaring fire, and set chairs around the room, and soon every stitch of clothing was steaming on those chairs until the room was thick with steam. Everything was absolutely cried, and the wayfarers were able to sit down to a good hot meal in comfort and laugh at the whirling snow outside. Mr North drove the party back to the tram in a gig. but how the horse faced the hail was hard to understand. The rain continued,'and the lady was sitting inches deep in water in an endeavour to protect the little ones, to some extent. On her return to Christchurch she collapsed at the hotel, but came round by slow degrees. The second lady, who had made for the whare, arrived there in a bad state. Luckily, it was occupied by a. shooting party of four gallant young men, who built up the fire and then went out in the rain while the lady and the child undressed and dried off. They were able to get back to the tram later, and counted themselves very lucly. The first party, who. reached the summit, attributed their escape from serious consequences to the great hospitality of Mr and Mrs North, of whom they speak with the utmost gratitude.