YOUTH HOSTELS FOR WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 15

YOUTH HOSTELS FOR WELLINGTON

Supported By Tararua

Trampers

CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL PLAN REJECTED

Support for the establishment of a youth hostel scheme in Wellington province wus voiced last night by the annual general meeting of the Tararua Tramping Club, which adopted a resolution to that effect. At the same time a motion recommending that spelt a scheme should be made a provincial centennial memorial was defeated. The matter was raised by Mr. R. H. Roberts, who proposed that the meeting should approve the idea recommended to the Wellington Centennial Committee by the Rucsac Tramping Club that the development of a youth hostel scheme should be the Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial. Mr. Roberts said he understood that the Tararua development scheme had been rejected, and he put this forward as an alternative. Such a scheme would unquestionably come eventually. The time seemed ripe, however, to take the opportunity of providing amenities ’for tramping and scope for outdoor activity, of a sort which, although different from the kind of tramping they were accustomed to, would be none the less welcome to many.

So far the Canterbury district was the only one where a hostel scheme had been successfully developed, but there was no reason it should not be done in Wellington; in fact, the club had already made clear its attiude of supporting such a development. Mr. J. D. Pascoe said that on Banks Peninsula homesteads and farm buildings were used as hostels by arrangement with the farmers. This would obviously not be possible in the Wellington ranges. The scheme would not embrace the Tararuas, Mr. Roberts explained. In Canterbury it had been applied in a wholly different type of country. In this province it would be possible no doubt to make arrangements with farmers, and in other cases to erect hostels. So £ar no routes or localities had been considered.

“In England and Germany no social life is provided by these hostels,” said Miss G. M. Chapman, who stated she had made use of youth hostels in these countries. “A limit of two nights is imposed on those stopping at them. The charge is about 1/- a night, with the use of utensils; there is a warden in charge, and hot meals can be arranged at a slight extra. charge. They encourage hiking from place to place, but make no provision for social activity. 'What exactly is it proposed to establish here?” Mr. G. B. ’Wilson said that the idea was to provide accommodation toy those who di'd not wish to carry a heavy pack, and for members of the general public: The scheme had been tried in the Wainui-o-mata, but had failed. It should be possible to revive it. Mr. P. McPherson said that he had stayed in youth hostels of England and Scotland, and had greatly enjoyed a walking tour of Banks Peninsula, making use of the hostels. He felt the scheme could be extended to the North. Island. The whole difference between New Zealand and Europe twas that the countryside lacked the interest of England dr Germany, where one could go" from village to village in a few miles. He thought the hostel movement deserved support, but not necessarily as a centennial proposal.

The secretary, Mr. C. Stubley, reminded the meeting that the Federated Mountain Clubs had waited on the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. W. E. Parry, regarding a Tararua Centennial Memorial Park, and had been given to understand that the Minister would not interfere with the decisions of the centennial committee. He understood their proposals had been finally formulated.

Mr. Roberts said that the centennial memorial proposal involved sufficient money to finance such a scheme and launch it adequately. It would be to the interest of -trampers and the public in general. “We have a greater chance of assisting the movement by approaching the National Council of Sport than through the centennial committee,” said the president, Mr. A. N. Smith.

It was decided to support the youth hostels movement, but not the proposal to make it 'a provincial centennial memorial-