Pioneer Mountaineer May Have Name Commemorated

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29008, 24 September 1959, Page 15

Pioneer Mountaineer May Have Name Commemorated

The memory of the late William Kennedy, one of the pioneer mountaineering enthusiasts in Canterbury who was a foundation member of the Canterbury ' Mountaineering Club and the Arthur’s Pass National Park: Board, may be perpetuated by the erection of a plaque in the alpine museum at Arthur's Pass, ' or by some other fitting tribute. Recognition of Mr Kennedy’s work in fostering mountaineering was made by several senior members of the club at its annual meeting last evening, and a subcommittee comprising Messrs A. G. Flower, A. Anderson, and T. N. Beckett was set up to investigate suggestions made at the meeting for a suitable memorial. Mr Flower said the park board had been very sympathetic to a suggestion by him for the inclusion of a memorial tablet in the museum. "Mr Kennedy was one of our pioneer mountaineers and a very respected member of the club, and something should be done to commemorate his name,” he said. i Mr Anderson, who suggested that his name could best be honoured by naming the club’s hut in the Arthur’s Pass township after him, said Mr Kennedy . was the greatest influence in the development of mountaineering that he could remember. Life Member Mr K. F. Clough, whose donation of £2OO made the construction of the Clough Memorial Cableway across the White river possible, was elected unanimously as an honorary life member of the club. Seconding a motion to this effect by the retiring president (Mr J. Hayes), Mr D. Morse said he had been most impressed by Mr Clough’s gesture in making the money available for the provision of a cableway which had made the crossing of a potentially ; dangerous river safe. The cable-1' way is a memorial to Mr Clough’s! son, Allan, a former member of! the club, who lost his life in the! Wilberforce river in 1956. Of the club’s total assets of!; £5062, the major item is its 191' mountain huts and bivouacs erec-! ted in strategic mountaineering!

and tramping areas in many parts of the main alpine region. These are valued at £3877. They include the new Wyn-Irwin base hut at Mount Cook, which is valued at £1544, and a base hut in the Arthur’s Pass township, valued at £4OO.

Referring to the resolution passed last year when a hut building and maintenance fund was set up, the treasurer (Mr J. R. B. Menzies) said considerably more | money was being taken out of the! fund at present than was going ’ in because of the large mainten-! ance and reconstruction work being carried out on some huts this season. Once this work was completed more money could be set aside for further building work which might be considered by the club, he said. The arrears of subscriptions of members this year—£244—-was a “colossal” sum for a club of that size, said Mr R. Copp, who asked what steps were being taken to recover the amount outstanding. Mr Menzies said little response had been made to letters sent to those members with outstanding subscriptions. Some extended back several seasons. Mr Hayes said the matter was now under action and would receive further consideration by the incoming committee. New resolutions giving the committee power to grant non-active membership, at a reduced subscription, were instituted. Those who can apply for this are members aged 45 and more, who have completed 20 years’ financial membership; members residing or travelling outside New Zealand; and members who, through loss of employment, disability, or other factors, find full participation in the club impossible. Officers Officers elected were:—Patron. Mr S. D. Meares; president, Mr C. A McElroy; vice-presidents. Messrs J F. Hayes, J. D Pascoe. J. C. Pattie, C. H. Turner, D. C. Morse, J. Simpson, T. N. Beckett, A. W. Day; editor, “Canterbury Mountaineer,” Mr R. Chapman; secretary, Mr W. E. Hannah, treasurer, Mr J. R. B. Menzies, honorary solicitor, Mr B. A. Barrer, honorary auditor. Mr B. J. Ivory; committee, Messrs R. Newton, L. Crawford, B. Stickle, B. Hearfield. R. Conway. A. Foot, J. Ede, D. Mee.

LANDRACE PIGS

Huge Prices In

Australia

(N Z Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE. Sept. 23. A Landrace sow brought 2850gns at an amazing sale of this breed of pig at the Royal Melbourne Show today. The sow was offered by Mr E. J. Galbraith of Kyabram. 124 miles north of Melbourne, and sold to Mr G. T. Larsen, of Eskdale, also in northern Victoria.

Fifty Landrace pigs averaged about lOOOgns at the auction in the pig pavilion. The-price of the pigs has soared to fantastic levels because of an Australian quarantine ban on foreign pig imports about 18 months ago. Hundreds of people jammed the pavilion when the auction was held, and two sets of crowded three decker seats with standing watchers collapsed. Nobody was injured.

The pigs sold are the descendants of 15 sows and five boars imported from Northern Ireland shortly before the quarantine ban was imposed.

Farmers claim that at the present inflated Australian price one Landrace sow with two litters a year could return her owner £lO,OOO annually. A 5-month-old Landrace boar was sold for 1600gns.