MOUNTAINEERING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 799, 23 April 1910, Page 13

MOUNTAINEERING.

INTEREBTINQ INTERVIEW. WITH AN ENGLISH CLTMBEE. Mr. Lawrence M. Earle, a member of the English Alpine Club, who has spent the last two seasons mountaineering in New Zealand has devoted :a good deal of time to the exploration of the Southern Alps, which offer an extremely interesting field of work in Alpine research. Daring the season before last Mr. Earle spent some weeks with Dr. Bell, the Government Geologist, who was engaged in scientific work in the Southern Alps, and, daring the season just closed, he has been associated with various New Zealand and.. visiting climbers.

Speaking .to a "Press" reporter AJ-γ. Earle, remarked that the aim and object of mountaineering was not merely to get to tho summit of the peaks. Original exploration, the discovery of the country s topography, and the study of glaciation, were branches of the 6port which some fascination, and,- in each, there is an excellent field for investigation. Tho heads of many big rivers such as the Kakaia, A&hburton, and Rangitata, have not been thoroughly done, and anyone doing the heads of the West Coast Rivers would probably spend an interesting, if arduous, season of mountain work. The work of the glaciers is splendidly marked in New Zealand, and anyone interested in the study of glaciation may" trace the system back to the time when glaciers were much larger than they are now. Mr. Earle added that tho work ; had proved of excoptional interest ■ to him, and he hoped to return.to New Zealand at some future time to continue his investigations. The suggestion that a New, Zealand Alpine Club should be formed found hearty support from Mr. Earle. The members would, come into touch with visiting alpinists, and it would be a very great booh to the visitors to be able to communicate i with an official club. At present it was exceedingly difficult for them to get reliable information about anything out, of the beaten track, unless they were personally acquainted with the people who could give that information. Alpini6ts, when abont to undertake a climb, would not (if they had a club) rely on the haphazard style of; information given by musterers and shepherds, who were generally incredulous to a degree as to the work done by the climbing parties with whom they ■ came into contract. Somo of the back country folk near Jit. Cook absolutely refused to believe to this day tha,t the peak' has. been conquered; An Alpine Club, on the other hand, would have on record-such information which would be invaluable to expeditionary- parties. The- Tourist Department did not at present meet tho case, and quito a number of visitors • had' complained to him that the information given the Department as to fishing, deer-shooting, and 'sport generally was very deficient, and that they had finally to apply to private sources. A visiting alpinist," Mr'Earle continued, was never certain that efficient guides > would be available. There were excellent men at the-Hermitage last season, but the custom of the Government in the past had been to keep the headguides on duty the whole year round, and to allow others to:go, hoping to secure them again, for the new , season. Mr. tarle did not know whether this system had been abandoned' now, but he was convinced that, if there was to be an efficient guiding staff, the Government should realise when they had good men and Keep them on permanently. There would ue plenty of work of various kinds for them to do'during the off months. Then the head guide should be free to take his assistants with him during the less ?l e i part of the seas °n, and show them the routes. The Hermitage also required a larger staff of guides. It would be a good thing to have a few . extra men to take tourists to the lower glaciers on the easy expeditions; and leave the experienced guides'to look after the real chmuers. • , : .

_ An .effort to introduce the sport of ski'"g at Mount Coolc was made last October and November by Mr. Earle-and Upturn Bead. Mr. Earlo thinks that the place is admirably adapted for the sport, which is one of the best In the world. On-the occasion of a" previous visit, Mr. 'liarle and Captain Head undertook', to bring some skis from Australia, in order to give tho pastime a start,, suggesting that the Government might take over the extra skis later on.- The guides were given some coaching, and eventually word was sent from Wellington that tno skis would be taken over iby the Department. On tho strength of this'message the skis were left m theMalte Bran hut, so that tno.guides nnd visitors might have the use of them • However, when' Captain Head went to Wellington, nnd applied for payment, the bargain was repudiated, apparently on. the'ground that the skis were not being sufficiently used to justifv heir acquisition ; Mr.'Earle and Captain Sfl- h k J '''Oβ sore over the matter, feeling that they had been treated in a rather cavalier fashion after their gratuitous efforts to add an attraction to the Herinitage. • •..-.-.■