OTAGO TRAMPING CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22070, 28 September 1933, Page 6

OTAGO TRAMPING CLUB

ANNUAL MEETING The tenth annual meeting of members of the Otago. Tramping Club was held in Lake’s Restaurant last night. There was an attendance of 65. ladies and gentlemen, and the chair was occupied by the president (Mr R. Gilkison). The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said it was a notable milestone in the history of the club that it had now travelled over 10 years succesefullyj and had met once more with a club going as strongly as ever it was from the beginning. All who had been regular members had obtained the greatest benefit, enjoyment, and improvement 'in health _ and strength in every way through their association with the club. It was remarkable that while at the beginning there wa 3 just one club in Otago there were now tramping clubs all over the district. _ Walking was much more common than it was 15 or -20 years ago, and it was a usual thing wnen one went to the top of Silver Peak to find 50 or 60 trampers there. The club could, therefore, he thought congratulate itself on having helped along a very laudable and enjoyable sport. During the year the club had put up its first but at Green Hill, Silver Peak; it was the first, but, he trusted, it would not be the last. The hut was not confined to members of the club. The door was left open, and other persons could make use of it, provided they used care and paid the sum of Is to the secretary. Mr A. J. Thompson seconded the motion, which was carried. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows;—President, Mr A, J. Thompson; vice-presidents, Miss Edmond and Mr 0. Balk; secretary and treasurer, Mr G. A. Pearson; committee —Misses L. Summerfield and E. Park, Messrs J. C. Lucas, P. L. Moore, R. Watt, and G. D. Wright; auditor, Mr E. W. Hunter. The chairman referred to the formation of the Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand. The association was originally formed in Christchurch, but the movement had spread to Auckland and Wellington, and it was high time Dunedin took it up. The origin of the movement was in Germany. Already the Canterbury Association had a dozen hostels on Banks Peninsula, and had arranged for a chain of huts on the-West Coast, so that trampers could go by the Bealey, over Arthur’s Pass, and down to Greymouth, staying at the hostels all the way. The charges at the hostels were light. At the fast meeting of the committee it was decided to recommend the incoming committee to take up the matter of youth hostels, and to open it up in Otago if possible. The first chain of huts, he would suggest; might be from Brighton to Kaitangata, and later the chain could be carried to Fortrose, to link up with their Invercargill'friends. -> The proposal was received with favour by the meeting. . Mr A. G. Thompson took the chair as president, and thanked members for electing him to the office. A vote of thanks was accorded the ladies and gentlemen who held office last was on exhibit a photograph of the Rob Rov Glacier, on the side of Mount Avalanche, in the Matukituki Valley, and a piece of rock showing beautiful fossilised ferns.