THE TOURIST and TRAVELLER

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1348, 24 February 1916, Page 40

THE TOURIST and TRAVELLER

HERE AND THERE. Lady Ellison-Macartney, wife of the Governor of Tasmania, accompanied by Miss Macartney and maid, arrived in Wellington by the Moeraki from Sydney last week and left by the Tainui for London.

Mr. and Mrs. Earle and family (Geraldine) leave by the Rotorua for England on the 24th inst.

Mr. and Mrs. Julian de Cordova, of Boston, are making an extended tour of the Dominion. They leave Auckland next month and proceed to Australia and Japan before return’ng to - America.

Dr. and Mrs. Derrick, of Thames, have gone south on a holiday tour. Dr. Hyde, of Waihi, is acting as locum tenens during the Thames medico’s absence.

Mrs lan Duncan has returned to New Zealand after a year’s absence in England.

The death occurred at the Auckland Hospital on February 8 of Mr. Alec Brodie, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. Brodie, well-known Thames pioneers, and brother of Mr. Walter Brodie, manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Thames. The deceased gentleman was a commercial traveller.

Dr. P. M. Keller and his wife Dr. Florence Keßer have returned to Auckland from Los Angeles, California.

Mr. and Mrs. EH'ott Davis, Auck- ' land, have been on a vis t to Christchurch.

“I found Honolulu to be a fine holiday resort,” said Mr. Martin Kennedy, a director of the Bank of New Zealand, who has returned from a six weeks’ holiday spent at the capital of the Hawaiian Islands. “It is a pleasant place. The climate good, and the sea bathing was we’l patronised. There were many New Zealand and American tourists holidaymaking while I was there.”

Captain T. C. Bayldon, harbourmaster, has returned to Thames after a trip to Palmerston Jiorth. to see his eldest son, who is in camp.

Mr. H. Noyes (of the well-known engineering firm of Noyes Brothers, Melbourne) and Mrs. Noyes are on a holiday trip to New Zealand, and are now touring the South Island by motor.

Mr. J. B. Hine, member for Stratford, has accepted an appointment as captain in the 16th reinforcements, and goes into camp at Featherston in March.

Mr. Henry Hayward has returned to Auckland after a seven months’ holiday tour in the Western States of America.

The head office of the Tourist Department has received advice to the effect that Mr. S. Turner. FR.G.S., of Wellington, accompanied by Guides Graham and Mi’ne, successfully traversed Mount Sefton on the 11th inst., and also climbed the second peak for the first time. Ascent was made by the F’tzgerald route, and the descent on the WesGand side to Douglas Rock bivouac, Copland Valley, and thence to the Hermitage by the Coplanrl Pass.

A resident of Christchurch, Mr. K. Denbv, when fish’ng recently at the mouth of the Rakaia, landed the finest ouinnat salmon yet taken in colonial waters. This salmon weighed

was 37in. in length, and 25in. in girth. Naturally the catch created a great deal of interest in local angling circles, in view of the many attempts made by the Acclimatisation Society to establish salmon in Canterbury streams. This is reported to be the fourth salmon captured in New Zealand.

Dr. MacFarland and Dr. Rentoul stated on their return to Melbourne from their angling tour in New Zealand that they had had a most enjoyable and successful time. The flyfishing they reported as better than for several years past, the trout bong numerous and in prime condition. When “spinning with the minnow” in the tidal water of the great Waiau River they found it had recovered its good name of 10 years age. They landed a large number of splendid English trout, fresh run from the sea, the weight carying from 12ib to 51b.

Mr. Arthur Paape, formerly organiser of the Sports Protection League, and later general organiser of the Political Reform League, is leaving Wellington shortly to take up the management of the Waverley Hctel, Auckland. Mr. Paape was presented at the meeting of the Sports Bodies Christmas Shilling Fund with a handsomely inscribed gold-mounted umbrella, and Mrs. Paape with a silver salver, on behalf of the sports bodies of Wellington. Mr. Paape, said the chairman, was one of the keenest sports possible, and he was perfectly satisfied that the amateur sports bodies throughout New Zealand would wish h’m every success in his new sphere. His going would be a great loss to Wellington, but wherever Mr. Paape might be any movement for the benefit of the lads at the front would have his hearty support. He hoped that the business he was going to manage would be successful, and

that for many years he would continue to enjoy the friendship and goodwill of the-sports bod.es in the city of Wellington and throughout New Zealand. Councillor Frost and Messrs G. S. Hill, Blick, Davies, Webb, Carr, Marryatt, and others, also paid high tributes to Mr. Paape as a good sport, and Mr. Paape, who suitably responded, was greeted with musical honours and three hearty cheers. Mr. Marryatt said that in his memory this was the first occasion on which all the amateur sports bodies of Wellington had met together to do honour to one man in that way. (Applause.)

A soldiers’ hospital is to be erected at Hamner, on the site of the former sanatorium, to accommodate 400 men. In design the building will be similar to the King George Hospital at Rotorua, the same plans being used. It is intended to staff the hospital entirely with orderlies.

Anglers will be sorry to hear of the death of Dr. Charles Holder, president of the Tuna Club of Californ'ia, the great authority on American sea-fish, and one of the pioneers of tarponangling.

Baron Rempei Kondo has announced his intention of retiring shortly from the presidency of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, the well-known Japanese shipping concern. Baron Kondo has occupied the position of president for twenty years, and during that time he has witnessed a remarkable growth of the undertaking. In 1895 the N.Y.K. owned but fifty-four steamers of an aggregate tonnage of 96,966, wheras to-day the number of vessels under the company’s flag is ninetyfour, of 439,000 tons gross. The N.Y.K. trades extensively between Australia and Japan and China.

“Papeete simply swarms with Chinese,” said Dr. C. E. Adams, who has returne to Wellington from a lengthy visit to America. “All the merchants are Chinese, and all the reta'lers are Chinese —as far as I could see. They are becoming so numerous .n the French group that the pass- e invasion has become an acute problem, which the French people there have no solut-on for. I should say that thej' ought to try to check the influx of Chinese by imposing a heavy polltax and by making them pay a substantial annual tax. The peril is a real one to us, for Rarotonga is only two days’ steam away from Tahiti, and, once they become establishel there, .t w 11 be difficult to get rid of them.”

The guests at the Royal Hotel last week included: —Mr. E. C. Smith, Taumarunui; Mr. G. T. Macdonald, Dunedin; Mr. J. Hales-Walker, Dunedn; Messrs. J. W. and N. Maclachlan, Napier; Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Hodge, Te Puke; Mr. P. C. Corliss. Wellington; Mr. W. T. Carruth, Whangarei; Mr. J. Osborne. Christchurch; Mr. J. Macdougall, Christchurch; Mr. Fred Andrews, Hokianga; Mr. J. W. Heenan, Wellington; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Weston, Florida; Mr. S. W. Reed, Christchurch; Mr. H. A. Tustin, Wellngton; Mr. A. G. Barnard, Sydney; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur C. Wood, Sydney; Miss Muriel Wood, Sydney; Mr. and Mrs. Ridd, New Plymouth; Mr. and Mrs. Stansbury, Opotiki; Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Smith, Wellington; Mr. A. L. Sugden, Gisborne; Mr. James A. Ham, London; Miss Lynch, Thames; Mr. Harry Dann, Thames; Mr. H. E. Garde, Wanganui; Mr. Jno. P. Kenny, Napier; Mr. P. Nathan, Well ngton.

Among the guests staying at the Central Hotel lasx week were: Miss Carm’chael, Mrs. Jeffries, Wellington; Mrs. MacCullough and Master MacCullough, Hamilton; Mr. J. McCallum, Wellington; Mr. F. S. Kirkwood, Stratford; Mr. R. S. Trevor; Dr. Bernstein, Dunedin; Major J. B. Ariell, Pahiatua; Mr. A. B. Child, Dunedin; Mr. M. Johnson, Wellington; Mr. and Mrs. Cosford, Toronto; Mr. E. H. Harrop, Invercargill; Mr. and Mrs. C. Douglas Tod, Roto rua; Mr. Charles A. Knowles, Makarau; Mr. A. A. Armstrong, Sydney; Mr. R. D. Fraser, Melbourne; Mr. Charles A. Ramsay, Sydney; Mr. Paul WVte, Melbourne; Mr. and Mrs. Davidson; Dr. Walshe, Thames; Mr. J. Nisbett Smith, Wanganui; Mrs. Selby, Wellington; Mr. C. A. Chilor, London; Miss Haynes, Rotorua; Miss Hassall, Rotorua; Mr. A. F. Hooker, Gisborne; Mr. C. A. Sher'ff, Gisborne; Mrs. J. English and Master English, Gisborne; Mr. A. D. Campbell, Russe'l; Mr. J. D. Sole, New Plymouth; Mr. S. A. Corney, New Plymouth; Mr. H. W. Cottier, New Plymouth;

Mr. Sydney C. Hancock, Well’ngton; Mr. R. B. Totman, Rangitike’; Mrs. A. R. D. Watson, Sydney.

Mr. Wilfred Coulson, for many years organist at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, has resigned his position, as he has left for England, with the intention of obtaining work in a munition factory.

Lieutenant Bishop, who was decorated with the Military Cross by the King, is the youngest son of the manager of the National Bank at Balclutha. He was a prominent University wing three-quarter and runner, and held the Barnett Cup for two years pr.or to enlisting.

The death is announced of the oldest Maori in South Canterbury, Hoani (Johnny) Kahu, who had attained the age of eighty-four years. Johnny Kahu was well known to European anglers, who met him about the Opihi.

The Otira Gorge at present is a perfect picture (states the correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times”), as the rata is in full bloom. The bloom is exceptionally heavy this year, and in the setting sun it gives the mountain side an appearance of fire. The yellow rata, supposed to be the only one in the South Island, is in heavy bloom this year, and is much sought after as a novelty.

A Maori mere, an interesting relic of olden days, was found by Mr. C. Jarvis while working on the embankment at Westshore, Napier. It is surmised that the mere had been dropped overboard from a canoe many years ago, for there can be no doubt that it was picked up by the dredge Waikaka and deposited among the soil on the embankment. The mere is club-shaped, of flint, and weighs about 41b. or 51b. It is about 12 inches long, and is inches in the widest place, and 1% inches in the narrowest. Under the knob, at the end of the handle, is a small hole for flax to go through, to allow of the club being tied to the wrist of the owner. The broad end is about half an inch thick in the middle, and tapers down to a sharp edge on either side and at the end.

A great deal has been written about the abnormal intelligence of the elephant, but it has been left to Blenheim to record the latest incidence an elephant that can read (says the “Marlborough Express”). It must be remembered that a placard adorns the top hamper of the Alfred Street bridge, setting forth to whom it may concern the fact that the bridge is unsafe to loads of over one and a-half ton weight. One of Messrs. Wirth Bros.’ elephants was asked to cross the bridge harnessed to a heavy load. The animal paused on the threshold, and anxiously scanned the warning notice. Finally he slapped the flooring, as much of it as he could reach, with his trunk. Turning towards his keeper he flapped his ears and shook his head, as much as to say: “No go, governor; the bridge .is not safe. Argument and other means were useless, and the sagacious brute was taken across the river per medium of the High Street bridge, which, upon inspection, was not objected to.

It appears (says the “Timaru Herald”) that Mrs. J. Thomson, of Wellington, assisted by Guide Conrad Kain, not only ascended Mount Cook on January 31st, but actually made the “traverse,” going up on the Hooker side and down the Tasman side. This is the second time the traverse was made by a lady, Miss Dufaur, of Sydney, having previously performed the feat with Guide Peter Graham, and another. Two other ladies, Mrs. Lindon, of Geelong, and Mrs. Graham, have reached the summit. Mr. Samuel Turner, now of Wellington, an indefatigable climber, essayed to climb Mount Cook alone on January 31, but near the top met with impassable iceglazed rocks, and had to give up the attempt.

Mr. H. Williams, late manager of the Stratford Mountain House, now of the North Egmont Hostelry, made the round trip from his house to the Stratford House via Manganui Gorge, Curtis, and Bridal Veil Falls (says the

“Stratford Post”). He was acting as guide to a gentleman touring the Dominion. This is a trip very rarely made, but very much appreciated by those who do make it. The falls had a tremendous volume of water flowing on account of the heavy recent rains. The track leading to the Stratford House through the heavy forest ,s very much overgrown, but quite easily followed. On the return journey, and crossing the Manganui Gorge, he came across a huge rock, which weighed from three to five tons, on which some two years ago he had completely turned over, but there it still lies. Later, the party had the uncanny experience of hearing a huge fall of rock towards the summit of the mount. The fall lasted about a couple of minutes and could not be seen on account of the fog. In the absence of the regular guide at the North House, Mr. Williams has had to do this work for the last six weeks, last week alone doing, the summit three times, besides the above trip. Mrs. Elliott, at the Stratford House, had a good meal awaiting the party, and dried their wet clothes prior to their starting on the return journej. On. Tuesday, when on the summit, Ngaruahoe looked most peculiar, and no surprise was felt when later news came through that she was active again. The North Egmont Hostel has just completed a record month for January.

Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, the famous war correspondent, told an Auckland interviewer that he was without knowledge of our country and our men, and when he heard that troops had come from New Zealand and Australia he did not expect to find such highlytrained soldiers as those which he saw in action at the outset of the Dardanelles campaign. “I say quite frankly,” he declared, “that I have nevei’ seen a more magnificent body of men physically or morally. I saw a lot of their work in the trenches, and the initiative of the men was splendid.” Mr. Bartlett thought that

the officers were of a very fine type, but he considered them fortunate in having under them men of such great resource —men who when placed in tight corners would not wait for orders but would go ahead “on their own.’ That sort of thing, added to their physical qualities, made them especially valuable soldiers. Mr. Bartlett mentioned that he saw a good deal of Colonel Malone, of Taranaki, who was killed at the highest point ever reached by the splendid sold ers who assailed the slopes of Chunuk Bair. His death, as well as the deaths of many other colonial officers, was a great loss to the army. Mr. Bartlett also spoke of the noteworthy performance of Captain Wallingford and IBS machine guns in checking a great counter-attack of the Turks in August. The headquarters staff had told him all about that.

The Tutanekai, which has been out of commission for upwards of eleven months, has been completely overhauled, The accommodation has been repaired and rejuvenated, and is now quite up to the standard set by the most up-to-date vessels afloat. After the trip North with their Excellencies the ship will be engaged in repairing cables round the coast. * * * * A gentleman who does not desire bis name to be published has placed at the disposal of the Navy League twentythree pieces of plate, at one time the pro petty of Admiral Loyd Nelson, beaming Ws arms, and used by him on the Victory up to the dav of his death at the Battle of Trafalgar' The plate was sold as . part of the famous Bridport collection of Nelson yclics in 1895. and was subsequently acquired by the donor, who now makes this generous offer. The conditions attaching to the gift are; 1. That a sum of not less than the equivalent of 100 guineas per piece of plate shall be raised by the Navy League: which amount shall be paid over to the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. Jo'frn of Jerusalem In equal shares; (2) that the plate be presented in separate pieces to such of His Majesty’s ships, as shall have done conspicuous service during the present war, as a souvenir of the great sailor, to become the property of the ship selected. A sub-committ'ee for the collection and administration of this special fund has been appointed as follows; —“The president of the Navy Leag'ue, Mr Robert Yerburgh, M,P., the honorary treasurer of the Navy League. Mr. V. Biscoe Tritton, the Lord Sydenham of Combe, Admiral Lord Charles Beresford. The scheme has received the warm approval of Mr Winston Churchill, late First Lord of the Admiralty. It is believed that many patriotic ladies and gentlemen would like to be associated with the presentation of this interesting plate to the Fleet, and the committee of the Navy League wash to make it known tb'at they are now receiving contributions cheques being payable to V. Biscoe Triton, Esq., the Navy League, H Victoria

Street, S.W., and crossed “Nelson Plate Fund.’’ • • » r Mr. Stephen Graham has been to Keiff and seen what flight before the aG\£ncing German troops means to the Russian peasantry. In a graphic article in The Times he says:—“l sit in an immense waiting-room thronged with people. It is terribly hot and noisy and depressing. Children are crying everywhere, babies at the breast, babies on all fours crawling among bundles., children of all ages—they are terribly hungry and sleepy. The parents sit about with careworn anxious faces and strained eyes, or curling themselves uncouthly abor t bundles of quilts and clothes, sleep, snore. It is a rainy evening, and the rain beats against the Station windows. Thousands of fugitives are waiting at every station, platform, barracks, camping ground. Twenty thousand fugitives arrive every day, and they may not stay. “They are assigned to provinces in the depths of Russia, given free passage in goods trains and moved away so as not to impede the rear of the Russian army; also to relieve Kieff of the tremendous destitution and to give the unfortunate wanderers a better chance of starting life afresh. They arrive by the trains, depart by the trains, arrive in their carts, go in their carts. From the banks of the Dneiper you look down upon a never-ending procession of slowly-moving cart-tilts, the fugitives leaving the city, going on. . . You go into the country, and find the carts wandering along the endless roads and lanes, all the peasant’s goods in a cart his chairs, his tables, his ikons, a cow tied by a rope and following behind. Ask the peasant where he is going, as often as not he does not know.”

Ranking as one of the greatest engineering feats in the world, the Kiel Canal now one of the most frequently mentioned spots in the universe, is not known to the public at large, save in a broad general way. The reason why the wonderful work of the German engineer at Keil was not made more widely known was, ;t is clain ec due mainly to strategic rca-

sons. Last June, when the Kaiser formerly opened the new locks of Kiel, built in connection with the deepening, widening, and general improvement of this artificial waterway, little was said about the enterprise- The exhaustive scheme of changes and additions (states an American paper) cost no less than £l2, 000,060, or £4,000,000 more than the original waterway cost; hence some idea may be obtained of the magnitude of the task accomplished—by far the greatest engine< r,ng feat so far carried out in Europe. Tlie width: of the canal at the botto.- has been increased from 72 to 144 feet, and its depth from 29 to no less than 40 feet, and its width at the water-level from 220 to 334 feet, while its new locks are the greatest of all concrete structures. Then along its banks, numerous sidings have be.n built, where shipping may be at anchor. while the high-level railway bridges and roads that crossed the channel have been pulled down and replaced by more modern and bigger structures of steel.