ALPINE SEARCHERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21562, 5 August 1933, Page 12

ALPINE SEARCHERS

CASES OF LOST TRAMPERS bearing heavy expenses FUND FROM ART UNION URGED [BY TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] WELLINGTON. Friday The heavy expenditure involved in conducting searches for lost trampers or persons who meet with accidents in alpine country was stressed to-day by a deputation from tho Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand. Tho deputation asked the Minister of Internal Affairs, tho Hon. J. A. Young, for permission to participate in an art union for the establishment of a search fund. Mr. L. O. Hooker said tho federation's membership was about 3000. Accidents would happen, and in tho past search parties had become an expense upon people who were generous enough to contribute. Clubs never considered expenses when anyone was lost, but immediately set out searching. Iho trouble was that people going out did not always belong to tramping clubs, and in that respect the responsibility was really that of tho public. It was hardly fair to .ask searchers to stand the expense and no club was financially strong enough to bear the expense of searching, even for its own members. In replv to a question by the Minister what sum would be required and how it would be used and invested, Mr. A. P. Harper, president of tho federation, said the question was whether the interest should bo used or tho principal used and supplemented by contributions from the public and elsewhere. Practically 70 per cent of searches were for non-club members. The Minister: Have you given any thought to the possibility of insurance? Mr. Harper said some of the insurance companies had looked into cases and they held tho opinion that the calculation of risk was very difficult. Tho federation's idea was a nucleus fund of £2OOO. Mr. D. A. Carty: ii'e cannot insure those people who are not members of clubs, but wo aro morally bound to hunt for them. , ... The Minister suggested it might be possible to control tramping by authorities who controlled the land. Mr. F. \V. Vosscler: You cannot stop people from going over it. The Minister: If areas are under control, could not the controlling body be satisfied that tho people tramping are capable? Mr. Harper: The Wellington Harbour is under control. You can go down and dive off the wharf and say you are going to swim to Day's Bay, and who is going to stop you? Tho Minister suggested that if trampers disregarded warning notices, they "might be liable for damages or part of the search fund. Motorists were prosecuted for going over railway level crossings in some circumstances, and ho suggested that perhaps a similar principle might apply to trampers. He could make no promises, but ho thought a case for consideration had been made out.