Good weather helped the enjoyment of the outing. Excellent management by an energetic committee (Messrs E. Smith chairman, J. Mackenzie, R. Hamilton, T. Smith, T. Wishart, Dobson, and D. Smith) made the day’s programme run off without a hitch. After justice had been done to the contents of the lunch baskets, the afternoon was spent in strolling along the many pretty walks, surfing, and picnic games. Knarston’s launches carried the party to and from the Mouth in a comfortable manner, and Mr Knarston sen had the billy boiling when the party arrived, this being much appreciated by all. In connection with the picnic it is worthy of note that Mr James Thomson (a former resident of the district) contributed a sum sufficient to pay for the children’s fares on the launches.
Milford Track unsatisfactory
Though just prior to the season the Tourist Department assured the public that very complete arrangements had been made for the comfort and convenience of visitors to Milford Sound via Te Anau, and that the overland track was in good order, quite the reverse seems to be the case. At least, that is the opinion of Mr W.H. Field MP, president of the Tararua Tramping Club, who has returned here after making the trip. The whole thing, he says, is a hugger-mugger of mismanagement, and he gives details. It cost the Tramping Club party about £400 to make the trip to and from Wellington, and Mr Field says that not only did they have a rough experience, but their lives were endangered as well.
The club was told weeks before the party set out that everything would be all right. To begin with, the telephone wire had been down for three weeks, and no effort had been made to repair it. The party arrived at the Quinton huts after a walk in heavy rain, only to find no food whatever except some sour bread, a few scones and some tinned fish. They decided to leave four women of the party at these huts, the others pushing on to keep their timetable as arranged with the department.
Mr Field says: "We hastened on the seven miles to the landing-place at the southern end of Lake Ada, but there was no boat or launch there. At this spot there is a small iron shed, a rough cookhouse, and a tent with three ramshackle bunks and one or two fly-blown blankets, and the party consisted of 18, nearly half of them ladies. The only food we could find consisted of some tinned meat, half a tin of cocoa, and a few potatoes which a packman kindly furnished us with."
— ODT, 8.1.1924 Compiled by Peter Dowden
