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Touring Otago Farmers
Visit To South Westland.

The forty Otago farmers and their womenfolk who returned to Christchurch after a trip to the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, were as full of praise for the scenic beauties of South Westland as the party from Christchurch which preceded them some weeks ago (says the Christ church “Press”). They agree that this tour is one of the finest over so short a period in the Dominion, and should be more widely exploited among the public. The tour was organised by the Railways Department.

The party, which was in charge of Mr. D. S. Broughton, Railway Commercial Agent at Dunedin, arrived in Christchurch on June 24th, and travelled to Hokitika the following day. On June 26th, during the trip by car from Hokitika to Waiho, the tourists met with their only rain on the whole trip. Comfortably settled at the Glacier Hotel, Waiho, they made, the next day, a trip to Franz Josef Glacier with Guide Peter Graham and others of his staff. On Friday last half the party went on an excursion to Lake Mapourika, while the others, keen alpinists, returned to the glacier, and were able to climb to Defiance Hut, which they made their base for ski-ing expeditions.

The weather throughout was ideal, and all were impressed with the mountain and bush scenery of the district they visited, particularly in the seventeen miles between Waiho and Weheka. The quality of the land at Hari Hari, Wataroa, Waiho, and Weheka was also widely admired. The arrangements and accommodation were in every case excellent.

The opinions of the party generally on the tour were put to a reporter of the “Press” by Mr. W. H. Craigie. Most of them had never been to the West Coast before, he said. They found the weather ideal and the scenery magnificent. They praised warmly the hospitality of the Graham brothers at Waiho, and of the Sullivan brothers at Weheka. The motor trips were made doubly interesting by the service drivers, who were both skilled and informative. At Weheka and Waiho they saw cattle and sheep of which they were envious, and much fine grazing land. In the Weheka Valley there were hoggets big enough to pass off as four-tooth. There, too, they were shown some excellent samples of wool.

“I hope more of these trips are arranged by the Department,” said Mr. Craigie. “I don't think that scenically there is a better trip in the country. We were exceptionally well treated throughout, and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.”

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