SKIING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 72, 8 November 1911, Page 3

SKIING.

POSSIBILITIES IN NEW ZEA-

POSIBILITIES IN NEW ZEALAND.

Surprise is frequently expresed by oversea visitors to New Zealand that the sport of ski-ing, which has won remarkable popularity in the countries of the Old World, has not been taken up to any extent in this country. Ihe South Island is particularly favoured with localities in which ski-ing could be made not only a popular pastime, but also a means of getting about when snow makes the ordinary methods of progression impossible. A Christchurch “Press’ 5 reporter had an interesting chat with Captain Bernard Hoad, an English officer, who is not unknown in this country as the conqueror of Mt. Aspiring. Captain Head is an enthusiastic ski-ist, and he thinks that the sport might ne taken more seriously in this country, and be made a means of pleasure to hundreds, instead of a few. It is well to start with the correct pronounciation of the word. Imagine that “ski” is spelt “slice,” and you have it. Skies may be generally described as two strips of hard wood about 7-1 feet in length, about 3.V inches in width, and about 1 inch in thickness. One end of each is gently turned up and sharpened to a point. They arc attached with straps io the ski-ist’s boots. The moving picture shows have made us tolerably familiar with the articles, and also with the more showy side of their use. Ski-ing is really the national sport of Norwal. Captain Head says that there they take the place, wliich the bicycle occupies in Christchurch. In the winter season everybody puts on the runners, and e-en the perambulators are lifted v. ith them. The ski is simply indispensable when the snow has the land in its chaste embrace-

The possibilities of the ski being successfully introduced into New Zealand have not yet been fully investigated. Captain Head is inclined to think that certain parts of Otago offer the most promising held. He has been informed that in these pints there is a regular winter snow fall, which in bad winters is increased to very heavy falls. The ideal country' possesses hills, with a nice gradual slope to a Hat at the bottom, and free from rocks. However, ski could be used in any open country, and aie now being used to do hill climbing in the Switzerland Alps. Switzerland is now the premier ski-ing country in the world, and it is the Mecca for thousands of ski-ists from England and other countries. The voyage over the North Sea, and the short days in Norway made ski-ing in the home of the sport less attractive than that offering in Switzerland. Neither could Norway offer the long runs that one could get in Switzerland. One thing wliich should commend the ski to this country, apart from the sporting aspect, is that it would make accessible places which are now cut off by heavy snowfalls. For instance, shepherds would be able to get at their sheep, and mailmen venld be able to deliver their mails. An active man with a decent physi pie could easily master the art, and on fiat country could travel as fast as a good walking pace. The best ski-ing surface has a liardish bottom, with three or four, inches of nice powdered dry snow on top. A Norwegian who had seen the snow in the Alexandra district had informed him that it had a beautiful surface. - ■

The most practical way of starting ski-ing in New Zealand would be to get a quantity of ski into the country. Captain Head said that as the demand would be limited, it would not pay a firm to make them, and the ordinary business linn would not care to import them without a reasonable prospect of selling them. The best way would be for the Tourist Department to import a number, and sell them to people who applied for them. Personally, he favoured the Norwegian ski, which are made chiefly of hickory or American ash. They can he bought in Norway, ready fitted, for about 275. The life of a ski varied—he had seen some broken on the first day out, and others had lasted as long as fifteen years. Apart from accidents, their life depended very largely on their being properly and carefully looked after.

The Ski-ing attractions of the famous Australian Kosciusko were briefly discussed by Captain Head. He said that there were some good runs to be found there, and the sport had taken on wonderfully. The Government had built a big hotel there, and it was full during the two months’ season. The Norwegian ski was hading a great deal of favour there, and a Sydney linn was taking up the agency for them. He did not suggest that the Government of New Zealand should build hotels for ski-ists. If people wanted ski-ing they could get it during the summer months at the Hermitage. The conditions were not the best for the sport, but there was enough to show what a really fascinating tiling it was. The ski has thousands of devotees in England, and the Ski Club of Great Britain lias appointed “snow agents” in various parts of the country. Their duty is to keep the club advised as to falls of snow, and whether the conditions in particular localities arc favrourablo. The only trouble was that since ski-ing had made * its biggest strides there had not been a severe winter in' England. Snow agents in New Zealand could perform a really useful function. In a bad winter there is snow right down to Eairlie, and round about Burke’s pass there is very good ski-ing country. Captain Head said tiiat some Now Zealanders had already taken up the sport, and he found that they had picked it up very quickly. He believed that if the ski were brought in they would be used. It was a splendid exercise for both men and women. The Tonri t Department, lie bad been informed were now making inquiries on the subject, with a view of importing some ski if it was thought do--irab! >.