ALPINE CLUB.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 October 1928, Page 6

ALPINE CLUB.

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING. A meeting of the general committee of the Mount Egmont Alpine Club was held last night in the A. and P. rooms Stratford. There were present: Mr. W. G Walkley (chair), Mis. Bates, Miss J. Page, Messrs R. Syme, L. G. Hooker, D. Ryan, A. Lawn, V. Gerrand, B. Haybdttle, H. Murray, H. Swinburn, G. Eookes, T. F. McKenzie (secretary). Apologies were received from Miss D. Haw ken and Mr. W. A. Spragg. The following members of the Stratford committee were also present: 'Misses B. Nutting and J. Beale, Messrs T. Owen, Irwin, and Hinton. The following new members were elected: Messrs E. L. Booth, D. A. Carty, E. Long junr., V. Cullinane, McGregor, E. Yangioni, G. Lawrence, \V. Bendall, D. BuUock, Misses N. Adams, V. Soheib, A. Conway, G. Worsfold, and Mrs. Bendall. Mlessrs Syme and Hooker reported that they had conferred with the South Park Committee at its last meeting on the question of accommodation for tourists at Dawson Falls, and the committee at once saw the position. Already it had decided 0,1 the position of the bath-house, and intended to carry on with the building as soon as possible. In connection with the condition ot the tracks, Mr. Syme reported that, he had the assurance of the National Park Board that something should be done before the summer. With the limited funds at the. board’s disposal it was proposed to give each committee a certain amount to do what it could in its own territory. On the motion of Mr. Syme, seconded by Mr. Hooker, it was decided to ask members to report any signs of the presence of goats on the southern side to the committee, who would in turn report to the National Park Board, and to assist the board in preventing this menace from spreading, as these quadrupeds were undoubtedly doing a large amount of damage to the bush and undergrowth. It was decided to ask , the South Park Committee to set aside a space near the hostel for an arboretum, in which the club would collect specimens of native and alpine flora found on Mount Egmont, and perhaps later on have a rock garden. Messrs Syme and Lawn were appointed to go into this matter. Mr. E. G. Smith, of Opunake, was appointed to fill the vacancy on the o-eneral committee. BEACH TRAMP.

The next excursion on the programme of the Alpine Club is a beach tramp. Members will assemble at the Kaupokonui beach, situated at the bottom of the Lower Glenn Road (which is about two miles on the Opunake side of Manaia), under the leadership of Mr. L. S. Mackie, of Otakeho. The tramp will be along the beach for about four miles to the Maori pa at the bottom of the Omuturangi Road, then returning across country for a distance of about two miles to Otakeho for lunch. Mrs. Mackie has very generously offered to provide hot water for lunch. After lunch, about an hour will be spent in being shown over Mr. Mackie’s garden, which is remarkable for fits collection of 'alpine and native plants, including a large number of ferns, both indigenous and exotic. Mr. ’Mackie has also a fine collection of curios, including many specimens of natural history, and a number of most unusual fauna-, in preservation. He has some unique examples of Maori carving of his own execution. Mr. M. R. Jones will accompany the party and will explain the Maori history of the district and tell the members .about the Maori wars that took place on this coast many years ago. The return will be made across country to the mouth of the Kaupokonui river, where there is an excellent swimming pool.