£1000 FOR YOUTH HOSTEL

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27764, 15 September 1955, Page 10

£1000 FOR YOUTH HOSTEL

LITTLE RIVER FARMER’S GIFT

A cheque for £lOOO for the erection of a youth hostel in Montgomery Park, near the Hilltop, was handed to the Youth Hostels Association recently. The donor was Mr W. H. Montgomery, a well-known Little River farmer.

The association intends to erect in a clearing in the park a three-roomed hostel which will accommodate 20 persons.

Mr Montgomery, who for four years was Canterbury District Commissioner of Slouts, has always been a great believer in the great benefit derived by young people from enjoyment o£i the countryside. About 10 years ago, he bought almost 20 acres of native bush near the Hilltop, which was in danger of being destroyed by cattle,

and gave it as a public park to the Wairewa County Council, Little River. It was named Montgomery Park, and the council fenced it and cut tracks giving access to many fine New Zealand trees, including large black pines and totaras seven feet in girth.

The site of the hostel overlooks the bush in the park, and commands a

magnificent view of Akaroa Harbour from Onawe Peninsula to well beyond the Akaroa township. This hostel will provide a valuable link with hostels already established above Gebbie’s Pass. Port Levy, and Pigeon Bay, and also with Akaroa itself, where the Youth Hostels Asso-

ciation hopes to erect its next large hostel.