THE CANTERBURY MOUNTAIN SAFETY COMMITTEE

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32994, 14 August 1972, Page 17

THE CANTERBURY MOUNTAIN SAFETY COMMITTEE

The Canterbury Moun- I tain Safety Committee is 'made up of men and women from all walks of life who have one thing in common—love of the mountains. Membership comprises a large number of skiers, | climbers, hunters and tramp-1 ers, and all are vitally con-i cemed with preventing dan-: ger in the mountains and' with saving the lives of those who get into difficulties. I Safety in the mountains; and bush of New Zealand is the committee’s main con-; cem.

Representatives of tramping, climbing, mountaineering, ski-ing and hunting clubs, youth groups and Government departments such as the Police, Internal Affairs, Edu- ' cation, Forest Service and Lands and Survey Depart- ; ments, are all on the commit- ' tee and all work together towards the common cause of 'mountain safety. HELP OFFERED Among the services offered by the Canterbury Mountain; ; Safety Committee' are: Guidance towards recognised organisations which

shave an interest in the out-; I doors. I Communication, by keep-! ling the public up-to-date with! i modem techniques and meth- ; lods of mountain rescue and! I safety. Education, to help people ! become club instructors, or ! better, more well-informed I club instructors; and also i through the provision of imI portant reading material. Bushcraft lessons. Instruction of the use of I firearms and hunting and genleral mountaincraft. All these forms of guidance and help are geared to help everybody know how to prepare for the fullest and safest enjoyment of their chosen recreational pursuit. OTHER ASSISTANCE The Canterbury Mountain Safety Committee also helps clubs, youth groups and many other organisations by acting as a clearing house for

new ideas and techniques and by providing films, leaflets, > posters and training manuals, i Courses are organised for! member clubs in bushcraft,! snow-craft, river crossing, firearms instruction and these are given regularly to leaders and potential instructors. Speakers and instructors are made available by the committee for talks, active instruction and lectures. The committee also publicises the various mountain sports and hobbies through television features, radio talks and newspaper articles.

Membership of a Mountain Safety Committee is therefore a must for every club and group in Christchurch, or for that matter in New Zealand, because it gives a sense of responsibility and by insisting on training, it has won a wide reputation

for preparedness and good sense. WHY A COMMITTEE? It costs the New Zealand public a lot of money to extract people from awkward spots, especially when they are injured. About 99.9 per cent of the mishaps in the back country could have been avoided if the basic rules of safety and common sense had been applied. The committee’s neverending commitment is to reduce the number of unnecessarily lost lives in the mountains, yet to do this without spoiling the enjoyment of mountain recreation.

At present the committee is preparing to film a movie on river-crossing techniques which will be used for the purposes of instruction. To be made by the University of Canterbury film school, the film will cost about $l7OO, which will be met by voluntary contributions to the committee. So far, about one-half this figure has been given to the committee.

Scenes in the film will be photographed on local rivers, such as the Waimakariri River and the Lewis River. Should any organisation, individual or group wish to know anything further of the activities of the committee or require instructors or lectures, they should contact: The Secretary, Canterbury Mountain Safety Committee, P.O. Box 891, Christchurch.