TARARUA TRAMPERS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 137, 14 June 1929, Page 4

TARARUA TRAMPERS

INCREASED INTEREST

MANY TRIPS' MADE

The report of the Tararua Tramping Club, to be presented at the annual meeting next Friday, shows that in ten years the club has increased its membership from 30 to 330, the past year's increase being 40. Many of the old trips had to be made again last year but the Putangirua pinnacles had become accessible by motor. • During the August trip to Ruapehu Mr. L. Cross won the Skiing Shield for the third time. The club regrets the "ultracivilised changes" at Whakapapa, but still looks forward to a good time there Seventy-nine took part in a tt>ip to the Hermitage, and at Easter a party visited Egmont. .

It is gratifying to be able to report that a very considerable amount of track work has been accomplished this year,'' continues the report. '' As indicated in our'last report, a good walk ing track has been cut between Smith 's. Creek and the Upper Tauherenikau Hut, and we were also able to have this continued up the river and over the Cone Saddle to the Totara Flats on .the Waiohine River. When a short section has been blazed adjacent to the Holdsworth Hut there will then be a good walking track from Kaitoke to Mount Holdswoith through some of the finest b? sL", n? ,river scenery in the vicinity of Wellington. Various working parties'of our young and active members have also been.busy clearing old tracks and blazing ,new ones.: The Marehant and Field tracks have received attention, Alpha, Field, and Maine's Huts have been repaired, ana the Five Mile and several new routes in the Orongorongo have been cleared and blazed In addition to a donation of £10 made to the Levin-Waiopehu Club to assist in bridge-work or track extension, parties of our members have 'also put in a fail- amount of work cutting a track trom the BlaeKwater Forks up the Qable End Ridge, thus assisting . the Levin and Manawatu Clubs in their work in this locality. .The thanks of the club are due to those who have taken an active part an this work, and also to, those who have on -occasion provided the necessary transport. This year we hope that sufficient funds will be made available to enable us to erect a substantial hut in-the Tauhere^ nikau, and one at. West Peak .to replace the emergency hut erected by the club some years ago, which has, unfortunately, been destroyed, by the elements and also to carry our further track ■work. It might-be of interest to note that during- the; past ten years, with what .outside assistance we "have been able to obtain, we have expended-oil track and hut work in the tramping country adjacent .to Wellington no less than £1250. '.' ■ -- •

"It is with deep regret that no rceoid the deaths during the year of two of our foundation members, Messrs. M. Bollinger and A. T. Clarke, both of whom, although not actively associated with the club, took the keenest interest in its progress. /'AVo desire once more to place on leeord oui- appreciation of the kindness of those property owners who havo allowed us access to their lands, and our'indebtedness to all who havo assisted us on any of our outings. With the- increasing numbers who now don the hob-nail, boot and shoulder the rue-sac, whether merely for the healthful recreation of tramping or for hunting, or some other such purpose, it is more than, ever necessary that our members live up to the ideals of our club and do all in their power to educate others in the necessity of respecting the rights of property and in pro-' tecting and preserving inn . native foies fs and birds."