A HURRIED TOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 84, 8 April 1936, Page 8

A HURRIED TOUR

ENGLISH SCHOOLBOYS ARRIVAL AT WANGANUI IMPRESSED WITH NORTH ISLAND On a brief and hurried tour through the North Island, a party of English schoolboys arrived at Wanganui last evening from The Chateau and are to leave early to-day for Wellington, where they will connect with the liner Rangitata, sailing at daybreak to-mor-row for London. The party comprises IS boys, representative or 14 public Schools, two masters, and Mr A. G. Willis, of the Guverninent Tourist Department, Wellington, wtio is conducting the New Zealand tour. iliis is not the first occasion on which English schoolboys have visited the Dominion, although in this instance the main tour was in Australia. The {•arty left London in January and proceeded to Fremantle via the Suez Canal, later spending several weeks in the Common wealth. During that lime they visited the principal cities and attractions. They embarked in the Wanganella at Sydney last week and arrived at Wellington on Saturday, New Zealand on this occasion biing. me. chtouched while on route to England. The two English masters v.ho are in •charge of the party are Messrs H. D. Hake and C. I*. Bowcn-Culthurst. Both are on their first visit, to New' Zealand. The schools from which 'tie boys are drawn are Stowe, Tonbridge, Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Rugby. .Sherbon/e, Marlborough, Repton, Coni'urd, Shrewsbury, Greashams, Blundell’s and Hialeybury. The boys are between .16 and 20 yeais of age. On arrival at Wallington they were met fry an officer of the Tourist Department and conveyed by car Io Napier, uhere they stayed oi> Saturday night. On i.he ful- ' lowing morning they left for Rotorua, 'lunching at Wairakei v.-h.te on route. 'Sunday night at Rotorua eras one of the outstanding items of lie New Zealand tour. I’he boys we.r entertained at a private concert which was given bv the Maori s.nger A iu Hato and party, an enjoyable evening culminating in a. shore dame. On the following morning the English v> -itors bathed in the famous Blue Baths and l/iter journeyed out to Whakawera wera, where they were fascinate.i with the sight of both lhe I’iince of Wales and Pohutu Geysers in aGtior., There was considerable thermal activ’ty va this occasion and it was with considerable leluctance that the party resumed its journey southwards. While at Whakawerawera they were conducted by Guide Bella, who was in attendance when the Prince of AAales visited New Zealand, and also during the tour of the Duke of York. Monday night was spent nt the WaiLomo Caves, the party calling at Fairy Springs and Arapuni while ?u route from. Rotorua. Waitoniu was also a place of many attra'ctiuns and the glow-worm cavern was particularly interesting. The party left W aitoino j vesierdav morning and arrived at I’lie Chateau in time for lunch. The ,|»>urnev to Wanganui was made via the Para para Rond and this erratic, piece of highway also proved interesting. The part v was entertained at the Wanganui 'Collegiate School last night, and on arrival at Wellington Io de.v will be given a. Parliamentary reception. The party is greatly impressed with what has been seen in New Zealand and there is general legret that the stav in this Dominion is not of longer duration. Although they have been conducted on a w ell-organised, but rushed tour through the North Island, most of thp boys are of the opinion that what they have seen in New Zealand is far superior to anv of Australia’s attractions. Many have expiessed the wish that they will some day be al.de to return. It is probable that within a year or two another party of schoolboys will visit the Dominion, on I which occasion a much longer slay will I be made and New Zealan j will be the ma in attraction.