ALPINE RECREATION

Hawera Star, Volume L, 25 September 1930, Page 6

ALPINE RECREATION

.STRATFORD MOUNTAIN CLUB IMPROVEMENTS ON MT. EGMONT

The annual meeting of the. Stratford Mountain Club was held at Stratford last evening, Air A. David: presiding over a good attendance. The work oi: the past year was reviewed, and those present discussed a proposed extension of the club’s activities for -the coining season. Tho annual report mentioned that a .conference of representatives of all bodies connected with Mount Egmont had recently been held at Stratford, under tho auspices of the Egmont -National Park Board, with a view to coordinating the services of committees and alpine' clubs in case of disaster overtaking anyone engaged in alpine recreation. Tho committee had notified the board of its approval- of Mr R. V. Ivav’s suggestion that a hut be erected near the foot of the Ngarara Bluff, and hoped that in -the near future tho suggestion would be endorsed and a hut would bo completed. The report further' stated that work about the house and tracks, carried out by club members -and their friends, had improved the surroundings and was an important part of tho beautifying scheme. It. had been considered advisable to delay the final laying-out of the house grounds until t-hq roaoi -construction work was completed. This policy had been justified by the fact that, the -construction, being om more, ambitious lines than the previous committees had dared -to hope, had completely altered the contour of some ground included in the club’s original scheme. During the season the -club had had the opportunity of taking part in several trips and] on Blaster Sunday had been strongly represented at the opening of Synie -Hut, under the auspices of°tho Mount .Egmont Alpine Club. The chairman remarked on the small: membership of the -club. Instead of 69 members ag at present, -he said, there should bo a membership c.f anything up -to 500, thereby assisting the committee to enlarge its sphere of activity and also to -provide urgently needed equipment. Mr J. S. Lyons considered that when the Stratford people realised that the club was one not devoted to sport alone but was interested also in developing the east, side of -the mountain as a whole, the club would receive greater, support.. Great credit was due to Dr. Doris Gordon 'for t-he flue work she had done in attending men injured on the mountain.

Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follow: President, Dr. W. P. P. Gordon; vice-president, Mr G. Hunter; club captain, Mr J. -L. O. Rowe; vice-captain, Mr A. White; chief guide, Mr A. Haitiano; secretary and treasurer, Mr N. Johnson; publicity officer, Mr J. Cormdek; committee, Misses E. Pople, K. Kempthorno and M. Whiteside, Messrs W. -Pettigrew, .senr., J. C. R-obins, C. J. Addis, J. S. -Lyons, R. V. Kay and G. Irving; auditor, Mr G. A. Carter; instructor, Mr H. Murray. Subscriptions were fixed at 7s 6d for men, 5s for women and honorary members and 2s 6di for juniors. The captain and vice-captain, with the cooperafien of a small band of enthusiasts, were authorised to arrange club trips for tho season.