MILFORD TRACK BUNGLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3806, 22 February 1927, Page 59

MILFORD TRACK BUNGLE.

MINISTERIAL COMMENTS. WELLINGTON, February 16. Commenting to-day on .the Milford track controversy, the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister in Charge of the Tourist Department, said lie was still of opinion that if blame were attributable to anyone it must rest on the shoulders of the Union Steam Ship Company. The track manager’s report showed that the Moeraki did not proceed further into Milford Sound than the Stirling Falls. Anyone who knew the distance and direction of the Stirling Falls from the Sandfly Huts would realise that it would be practically impossible for the ship’s signals to be heard from that position. The men, after waiting on the Sound for 15 hours on the date of the expected arrival of the ships, had gone ashore, and he was disposed to believe their statement that the signals were not heard. Had the ship gone to the usual stopping place at the Bowen Falls she would have been plainly-visible from Sutherlands, and the whole trouble would have been avoided.

UNION COMPANY’S VERSION. WELLINGTON, February 17. The head office of the Union Steam Ship Company made’a statement to-day with regard to. the remarks of the Minister of Tourist Resorts, imputing blame to tlia Union Company for not landing the medi-> cal party at Milford Sound from the Moeraki on January 30 when the launch from the shore failed to put in an appearance. The company stated that the captain of the Moeraki had made every effort under difficult conditions to have the programme carried out, and it could not agree that any responsibility rested upon it for the failure. The circumstances were that the Moeraki steamed up the Sound as far as it was prudent to go, steaming stern first for the last stage of the journey on this account, and was in the vicinity of the Bowen Falls for three hours. The whistle was blown and detonators and rockets fired without any response from the shore.. However, Captain Hamilton came out from Sutherlands in a rowing boat, and reported that the accommodation huts-at Sandfly Point had been burnt. The position facing passengers contemplating going ashore was thus: That the weather was wet and a strong tide was running at the head of the Sound, making the question of effecting a landing by the ship’s boats problematical, and at best a lengthy process, and not without risk. Assuming, however, that' the landing were safely,effected, there was no accommodation in the Sound, and the party would have required to proceed 15 miles to reach the Quintin huts, with no assurance of accommodation when they got there, or of advice or assistance from the time of landing. It was not considered prudent to attempt a landing of the party under such conditions. Five passengers, however, availed themselves of the offer to go ashore in Captain Hamilton’s boat, and they embarked in the rain and had a protracted' trip ashore. After waiting three hours, nothing further being possible, the captain of the Moeraki reluctantly decided to leave the Sound. In view of the trouble taken over a lengthy period by the Tourist Department and others concerned to make the trip a success the company, although not responsible in any way, shares the disappointment in the actual result.