Expedition funds $25,000 short

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33815, 11 April 1975, Page 10

Expedition funds $25,000 short

The expedition which is due to leave in mid August for Mount Jannu, in north-east Nepal, is still short of $25,000 for the $78,000 budget.

Although four tons of food and equipment are already on their way to Hong Kong, where they will be flown on to Katmandu, the organising committee and the team of 12 climbers still have a lot of fund raising ahead of them.

The expedition plans to climb the unsealed north lace of Mount Jannu (25,294 feet), in the post-monsoon season from September to December. Four fashion shows around New Zealand are planned to Jielp raise some of the reimaining $25,000 required. Fourteen raffles for some Ivory expensive Japanese i books on the Himalayas and | the sale of memorial medallions for $5 or more are also ! planned.

The chairman of the organising committee, Mr N. B. Ullrich, said yesterday that he was confident the money could be raised.

) The immense amount of ) organisation that has been required so far has led to the formation of a company to consider the long-term objectives of mountaineering land outdoor sport generally. ■ New Zealand Mountaineering ‘ Ltd has a board of business people and representatives of the climbing fraternity and its first project is the present expedition. Sir Edmund Hillary has agreed to become the patron of the company, and the expedition. He is also acting as transport officer for the expedition, in Nepal. The directors of the company are Messrs N. ,B. Ullrich, a business consultant from Christchurch, G. P. O’Farrell, a company director

from Christchurch, M, R. Ellis, a company director from Dunedin, P. V. Farrell, an electrician from Christchurch, K. F. Thompson, a civil servant from Dunedin, R. H. Watson, a company manager from Wellington, Graeme Dingle, a mountaineer, from Turangi, L. S. Crawford, a company manager from Dunedin, B. Hearfield, a company director from Christchurch. H. T. Dean. a. company director from Christchurch, and J. McMeamin. a pharmacist from Auckland.

The directors hope there will be funds remaining after the present expedition to carry the company over to the next project.