DOMINION'S BEAUTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21910, 20 September 1934, Page 12

DOMINION'S BEAUTY

SCENIC ATTRACTIONS BUSH, GLACIER, FOREST LADY BLEDISLOE'S TRIBUTE The current issue of Country Life contains an attractively written and illustrated article by Her Excellency Lady Bledisloe on "New Zealand's Less Frequented Beauty Spots." The photographs were taken by Lord Bledisloe.

"Nowhere in the world within so small an area," one reads, "is there a greater variety of scenic beauty of such exceptional attractiveness than in New Zealand. Nowhere does Nature display her wonders in such bounteous profusion. And yet, owing no doubt to the Dominion's extreme modesty in advertising her charms, comparatively few British tourists visit these' hospitable shores, in spite of the generous provision made nowadays by the shipping companies for their comfort and their rapid transport from the Old Land. The climate is probably the most salubrious in the world—seldom very hot or very cold—and it is on but few days in the whole yeai* that the sun does not shine for at least a part of the day." Lady Bledisloe dwells on the unspoiled beauty of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, districts which are both remarkable not only for "their extreme beauty but also for the fact that they reach down to within 600 ft. only above sea-level and that New Zealand's incomparable native bush stretches right up to the foot of each of them And the bush here is exceedingly fine and varied in its flora and wholly unspoilt by exotic plants or the woodman's axe-*-a perfect Eldorado for the botanist."

Much is written in detail regarding the beauty of the native flowers and ferns. "To a lover of really fine timber the oldest trees in the Waipoua National Forest, now a national reserve and protected from the vandalLstic ruthlessness of the commercial axemen, cannot fail to make a strong appeal." Commenting on the article, Country Life describes it as characteristic of the enthusiasm cf Lord and Lady Uledisloe for Iheir adopted home. "While the affection that they have inspired is obviously due to their genial personalities, the general feeling expressed in New Zealand is that their gift to the Dominion has been, the aim of attaining a full life. In this respect the Governor-General's influence may have been partly dus to the ideals of his type —the English country gentleman."