ALPINE GRANDEUR

Evening Star, Issue 20779, 29 April 1931, Page 9

ALPINE GRANDEUR

OTAGO’S MOUNTAIN RANGES VALUABLE PICTORIAL RECORDS The alpine glories of Otago’s hintorland were strikingly represented in picture form at a unique entertainment given in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last night, _ under the auspices of the Otago section ot the New Zealand Alpine Club. There was a very largo and a most appreciative audience. The photographs shown were taken bv members of the' Alpine Club, and the fact that they were perfect in clarity and in detail indicates that a sure means of recording and preserving all trips into the beautiful high country of the province has been found. Indeed, if such pictures could be shown in the United Kingdom and America it is certain that a great many more tourists would be attracted to the dominion. In some introductory remarks the chairman (Mr Eric Miller) explained that the Otago section of tho New Zealand Alpine Club had been formed ast October, and that this disp ay marked its first public function. Ihe objects of the club were to unite all lovers of our mountains, to keep records of explorations and of routes, and to instruct its members in the art of mountain climbing bnshcraft, and rivercratt. Tho entertainment had been promoted to raise funds for the establishment or a tourist hut in the Matukituki Valley, in which there is at present no shelter, the old Niger hut haying been dismantled. It was obviously impossible to expect a Government subsidy tor the building of a hut at the present time, and the matter of finance had been taken up by the club itself. A o-onerous offer had been received from a local settler (Mr Barker) to erect the hut free if the materials were provided, and the large attendance showed that the £SO required was pretty well guaranteed. The hut would bo available for tourists next summer. Dr G. M. Moir showed some fine views of Mount Christina, in the Hollyford district, and described the adventures of his party in making the first ascent of this peak. Sir L. W. M'Caskill, of tho New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society, followed with a large number of beauti-fully-coloured slides of native birds such as are to bo seen not only in the wild places of Otago, but close at hand in our own city. A strong appeal was put forward for the preservation of our native feathered friends. Included among the birds shown were the robin, the woodhen, the pigeon, the grebe, many kinds of ducks, tho kaka, the kingfisher, and the much-discussed kea. Hie audience were conducted through the beautiful valley of the Wilkin at the Head of Lake Wanaka.by Sir Eric Miller. The climax of many magnificent scenes of mountains and forest was seen in Slount Ragan at the head of this valley, a peak equal to any m New Zealand for beauty. The second half of the programme was occupied by a unique senes of cinematograph films produced and shown by Sir Roland Ellis. There were some remarkable views of tho snow-clad fastnesses in tho Dart Valley region, the full beauty of the mountain, bush, and rivor scenery making an almost unforgcttablo impression on tho mind, and no doubt stimulating many of those present to thoughts of a future holiday visit to this district. Films were shown of life on a sheep station in the mountains, and then followed a pictorial account of the ascent of Slount Aspiring. Sir Ellis’s party had with much labour carried their cinematograph camera to the summit, and the wonderful panoramic views of ice-capped mountain ranges and glaciers far below were fully enjoyed by an appreciative audience. . In tho course of the evening Sir James Paterson gave a vocal solo, ‘ Hurrah for the Highlands,’ with the ‘ Gay Highway’ as an encore number, and the Orpheus Quartet Party also gave an item, ‘ Cornfield Melodics, which was so well received that an encore had to bq rendered..