MOUNTAINEERING

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12250, 23 September 1925, Page 4

MOUNTAINEERING

TALK TO ROTARIANS HOW TO GAIN NEW LIFE THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE Yesterday’s luncheon at the Wel-j liugton Rotary Club was particularly * interesting owing to an address which was given by. : Rotarian F. W. Vosseler, president of ihe Tararua Tramping Club, on “Mountaineering for Rotarians.” Rotarian- Vosseler is an experienced mountaineer, and nas made many notable climbs both :n the North and in the South Islands, as was indicatedby the chairman of the day, Rotarian P. Myers, who said that Rotarian Vosseler had been a constant tramper for over a third of a fcentury, Rotarian Vosseler illustrated liis talk with a number of lantern slides of mountain scenery at Mount Cook, showing the Hermitage, noted glaciers collections of beautiful mountain flowers such as the edelweiss, oelmesias, ranuneulas and many others. There were also pictures of' skaters and sledging on the ice and parties enjoying a climb on the mountains. MOUNTAINEERS: NOT ACROBATS Rotarian Vosseler said he believed they should all lie mountaineers, and they would if they’ could only be induced to make a start, He was not recommending them to attempt high climbing or to oecome rock acrobats, on dizzy heights,, hut there was every good reason why they should ramble over the hills and lesser mountains, exercising their organs and limbs, with considerable pleasure and benefit to themselves. He advised them, instead of the week-end motor trip, to take a ramble up some bush-clad hill, even an evening stroll up to the Wireless station or Mount Victoria. ’ With all due respect to medical gentlemen he believed Nature to be the greatest of all doctors, while it was good when in need to have the best medical advice, it ivas much better not to need it. The greatest danger to them in life was its artificiality, and by going back to Nature as a corrective for ease and refreshment of mind and body, they must benefit considerably. Nothing was more calculated to keep them fit, bodily and mentally, than reasonable exercise in the keen, pure of’the mountains. THE FEELING OF HEALTH Let them take their rest holidays in the New Zealand mountains. Noted travellers. had seen time and again that the Southern Alps were equal to the world’s best," and if they would .only visit them they would never regret it. There were two really good houses right in the heart of the Southern Alps, one on the West Coast at the Franz Josef and the-Mount Cook Hermitage. They could not fail to be charmed and would find delightful companionship. ' If they did not soon lose the sedateness of the city and get some of which was known as the Kruschen feeling, then they were cases for medical care and should put their affairs in order. (Laughter.! They would he surrounded by beauti,ful snow-clad mountains, the air was, clear and invigorating, and the weather better than tn the!. North. • Perhaps few of them could at once climb a. third-rate peak, hut after- a little looking round and doing a few short trips they "would feel stimulated to do si short climb and enjoy it. A trip to Sebastopol or Seely up the glaciers to the., different huts would give them never-to-be-forgotten memories, and .stir up strange feelings in their breasts. They need not sail beyond the sunset in search of the happy isles. What an ideal place the Hermitage would be for a big Rotary Conference! ■ In conclusion, he appealed to Rotarians to, give their boys 'and girls an outing in the snow mountains. There was *no greater joy they could give them, and the youngsters would bless them for iff all the days of their lives.