HONOUR FOR CLIMBER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 72, 26 March 1932, Page 7

HONOUR FOR CLIMBER.

ENGLISH ALPINE CLUB. NEW ZEALAND LIFE MEMBER. The Alpine Club (London) has conferred the honour of a life membership on Mr. A. P. Harper, the well-known New Zealand alpine explorer and climber, states the "Evening Post." Mr. Harper has been a member of the club since 1892, and is one of very few members to receive this honour. Mr. Harper's record in alpine matters extends over 45 years. He began climbing in Switzerland in 1887, and just on two occasions under guides. In 1889 he returned to New Zealand and at once began work with Mr. G. S. Mannering, the well-known Canterbury mountaineer, »nd for the. following two seasons he led Ma own parties in the then little known Tasman district. In 1892 he joined some other members of the Alpine Club (London) in guideless work at Zer-ma-tt, -Switzerland, and from 1893 to 1896, partly with the late Mr. C. E. Douglas and partly alone, he carried out the first exploration of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, and the whole of the Cook River and Karangarua watershed, and the first exploration down the east bank of the Lansborough River. The result of that work was published in Mr. Harper's book, "Pioneer Work in the Alps of New Zealand," now out of print, but much sought after when a copy comes on the market.

Mr. Harper is still on the active list. His more recent work includes climbing with the Rt. Hon. L. S. Amery in' 1928; anew transinsular pass from the Hermitage over Fyfe's Pass at the head of the Mueller Glacier and down the KaraB garua River to the West Coast in 1930. J. and last December an expedition into the mountains between the E «e3 and Dart Rivers in Otago, when some first ascents were made in company with some of the younger memMrs of the Otago section of the New Zealand Alpine Club.. Mr. Harper, as president of the New Zealand Alpine Club, has, for many been indefatigable in his endeavours to foster alpine climbing and to secure benefits for mountaineers in genwal. Many important reforms have "en introduced at his instigation, for *«ch present and future climbers will owe him a debt of gratitude. The most '"Want of these is undoubtedly the "cognition ° f the principle that no person may act as a professional guide ««ess he is qualified for the work. It wa3 mainly due to Mr. Harper's personal worts that the Government recognised jne need for legislation compelling the licensing of guides on the general lines 01 a scheme drawn up by him in 1926. another result of Mr. Harper's efforts, Wnch will be much valued in future was the formation on his suggestion of a federation of all mountain-j-fj??! winter sports, and tramping clubs ™we Dominion. This federation, now ™o years old, already represents some 3 °oo members.