ALPINE SPORT CONTROL

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 2 September 1931, Page 9

ALPINE SPORT CONTROL

LEGISLATION URGED LICENSING OF GUIDES PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY . Ifßy Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. j Pointing to the occurrences at Ruapehu as one illustration a deputation from the Netv. Zealand Alpine Club and the Federation of Mountain Clubs brought before- the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon.. G.. W. Forbes, this morning the urgent necessity for legislation to sy.stemise alpine climbing. Introducing the deputation, Air, T. T>. Burnett, M.P., said that facilities for alpine climbing were now so wide that everybody could go out on the mountains and many people were incapable of looking after themselves. Safeguards were absolutely essential. Mr. A. P. Harper, president of the New Zealand Alpine Club, pointed out that, as long ago as 1922, be had urged the framing of regulations to ''ensure that no person should be employed as an alpine guide who was not fully qualified and that, before any alpine resort was leased to a private company, it was necessary that some control should be maintained over the employment of suitable persons a-s guides above the snowline. He had also submitted to the Government detailed proposals based on practices in Switzerland for 50 years, but no action had been taken. Similar representations were made in 1926 and 1927 without result, but eventually last year the Minister of Tourist Resorts had convened a conference of interested parties at which unanimous resolutions were carried that action I>e taken to organise a .system of licensing guides, that no one should be allowed to act without a license and that a licensing board should be set m. A general scheme was drawn o and approved, but he had been informed it was unlikely action would be taken this season. '< Mr. Forbes, replying to the deputation, said he recognised the matter required attention and he would confer with the Minister of Internal Affairs and see how far the proposed legisla- ] tion hadi been prepared. He would doi bis best to see a Bill brought before Parliament as soon as possible this? season. It might be possible to bring' it down in the next few days.