AN EASTER HOLIDAY TRIP.

Oxford Observer, Volume V, Issue V, 21 April 1894, Page 3

AN EASTER HOLIDAY TRIP.

Why should mankind ever run in a common rut, to do so, one becomes a slave to society's rules, consequently, many people who have a taste for ( natural scenery ) stay at home and pine and depiive themselves of their heart's desire, because they have not the necessary funds to travel by Orthodox methods. There is one thing I notice as far as Oxford is concerned, dog-carts and traps are not so rare as they used to be and while cash may not be plentiful, I maintain, that with such conveyances at our command, good New Zealand scenery , may be obtained within measurable distance of Oxford. If the two ladies who have scaled the Hochstetter Dome, had waited till a coach road had been cut out of its rugged sides and Hotel accommodation awaited them at the summit, then they would have to wait many a day for the delightful pleasure : which is now their possession. . So it may be if pome of us had to wait, till we could travel in orthodox style, the day for the long departure may come first. So, following the -bent of our desires, we availed ourselves of a couple : of tents, took our better halves, and Good Friday morning being fine we harnessed up and started away for tlje Lake Country.

View Hill being our starting point, we made tracks to the Waimak bridge a place of itself well worth visiting, from thence, through Waddington, and away toward Homebush, but -stop ! and give the horses a bite, I say Tom ! see here is water, what doth hinder us boiling the billy ? agreed, so in a short time, we had tbe fragrant tea, and those other good thing3, which you are sure to have when the ladies are with you. Looking round, we see we are leaving Oxford behind, .to the right of us, the ( Malvern Hills ) show their best agricultural side, but alas, . one. man's Possession. To the left, racecourse Hill, with its well laid Plantations, and the dotted Homesteads, are quite an encouraging view. Come along you folks, there are no Lakes here ; now boss, no bossing here, this is a pleasure trip, and if we dont reach the lake vicinity to day we can to morrows for we have our houses with us, rafters and all, ah ! I see, there comes the advantage of dispensing with the coach, no hurry, your own tent and trap. However it is a travelling trip, so we pack up arid move on. Pass on Homebush station, Glentunnel township, over the river Selwyn, and up the Wairiri valley. Here, we have a stretch of hills on our left, a rich fertile valley on our right. The first notable residence up this valley is that of General Davidson's, who, I am informed, is a pensioned Officer, and the gossips say, his friends are very anxious that he should live to a good patriarchjl. age. As we wind our way toward the head of the valley, the hills on our right and left commence to show their magic charms. At the head of this valley, is Glenroy, where there is located a Public School, I met a small boy not far from here, who in? formed me' he did not go to Glenroy school because they had a teacher there, that was'nt any good, therefore, he goes to Glentunnel school, I have not the least doubt most of our Public school teachers have that reputation, it seems the best teacher is always somewheie else. Glenroy, as far as appearances go, is a comfortable settlement, the homesteads are neat, the land is good, but having a heavy bottom wet seasons tell against its productiveness. • Leaving Glenroy, we reach next the Horarata river. Putting on the nosobags, we gather a few sticks, light a. fire, and sit and learn the famous lesson of James Watt, rvrith^this difference, not the same purpose in view. Oh no, natural scenery is'.nt much when the; inner man is low. This remindsnie of the touris't visiting the ; Swiss Alps, on being asked to rise early -and witness a 'Swiss sun-rise^ with its- lovely Rtreaks of sky, .replied, he preferred first, to feast his eyes on.streaky bacon with its appendages. . So £11, the , cup cut out a piece of that meat pie, and I will look round just now. Here, to

the right, I should say, the hills ate more than a mile away, while io our left, it is a stretch of plains to the sea. Here, again resuming our journey, we border the notworthy grid-iron estate, and seeing the fine stretch of good land right from the Horarata to the Rakaia rivers, Sir John, its owner, while he may have many estimable qualities, there is no boubt in my mind, but that he has learned to love himself, just as well as his neighbours. Jogging along we come at last to a finger post, marked thus, " to lake Coleridge, to Rakaia Gorge. I say, Mr Boss, .take the Gorge road and let us have a peep at that wonderful spot, they say you can put the Waimak Gorge and Woodstock together, and it beats them both. - ■■•'■■ ■' ■■■ i: ""- " : ■■ . ;■ > To be continued.