WANTED SMALL SUM FOR HECTOR HUTT

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 142, 19 June 1922, Page 6

WANTED SMALL SUM FOR HECTOR HUTT

The safe working of a mountain track like that which crosses • the Tararuas from Greytown to Otaki, and on which two fatalities have occurred within a few months, requires : (1) reasonable accommodation in the Way of huts and bridges, together with the proper stocking of huts, and respect for their stocks by trampers; (2) reasonable self-protection on the part of trampers, who are expected to provide themselves with means of avoiding getting lost, and with safety equipment to enable them to " hold out" when lost. In stipulating- "means of avoiding getting lost," we refer not only to such desirable things as compass and map, knowledge of their use, " bush " experience, etc.; We refer also to ordinary weather-sense, and to the common-sense that enables a person to remain in safety if the weather prospect on ths difficult middle section of the track is doubtful. If a tramper neglects to provide himself with clothing and boots suitable to ■ the ( season and the conditions, if he fails to carry matches in a waterproof container, or if he Sacrifices sufficiency of food or equipment for the sake of speed (which represents more or less a gamble on the weather), he is guilty of a negligence that may cost him dear. Foi' that reason, any tendency to make a Marathon faco of the Tararua track is to be discouraged. A speed fiend who subordinates his load to his timerecord is under temptation to leave the hut stocks poorer instead of better than they were when he reached the hut; whereas the reverse should be the case. But any contributory negligence by inconsiderate or inexperienced trampers —whether minor negligence or major negligence^does not justify a failure to provide reasonable accommodation. Proper bridges and properly built and properly stocked huts should be provided for the use of trampers who operate on safe lines and for the succour of those who, from inexperience or other cause, do not operate on safe lines.

As we do not wish to pre-judge in any -way the issues at the inquest to be held on the late Mr. Kime, we will not attempt, to reinforce our argument by reference to any of the circumstances, of his death. It is not necessary to do so, because the preceding death on the Tararuas—when Mr. Fi'eeman lost his life—is M instance of what may happen, even on a well-organ-ised trip, in the absence of a hut on the gap between Alpha and Te Moi; and instances of insufficiency of equipment—fortunately not ending in death—have been frequent. The principal point that we desire to emphasise is that those best qualified to judge hold that Mr. Freeman would not have died if there had been a hut somewhere in the vicinity of Hector; and it is perfectly certain that the safety of travellers—whether lost or not lost, whether badly equipp&d er well equipped—would, be greatly increased if the proposal of Mr. Frank Wall to build a Hector hut —for which he himself offered £100 —had been acted on years ago. It is, however, a Case of " better late than never "; and aa the Tararua Clubs of Wellington and Otaki estimate that a suitable hut could be delivered at Otaki railway station, in sections, for less than £100, ana as these clubs are prepared to undertake the responsibility of transporting the sections from the railway station and re-erecting them on the mountain sitefthe Government will surely be able to meet so moderate an outlay.in, money or materials or service, and "get the job done.'1 With this hut erected, and with a bridge over the Tauherenikau, a gl'eat advance will have been made at no great cost. It will, of course, still devolve upon trampers themselves to use prudence in their own interest; and a continued lack of self-protection, or a tendency to abtise the huts and their stores, would certainly strengthen the detaand for a closing of the track except to those holding Government permits. To a certain extent, trampers havd their salvation in their own hands-. A mail who reihoves a bottle of matches from one of these huts, or who ustss the isbtiteilts to snioke his pipe, and fails to replace them in ivnbei-pi-Qof (ioiiditioJii is IV puton* titvj jfturdere^