ALPINE CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26416, 21 March 1947, Page 3

ALPINE CLUB

WORK OF OTAGO SECTION An attendance of 51 members and associate members was. present at the sixteenth annual meeting of the Otago section of the New Zealand Alpine Club held on Monday. Aspiring Hut The annual report, which was adopted, stated that the membership had continued to increase. The roll at February 28 totalled 167, of which there were 42 members (43 in 1946), 124 associates (116 in 1946), and one life member. Mr J. A. Sim was elected to this office during the year. Following two years of Christmas camps, individual parties had again gone climbing in various districts, mcludng some first-class climbs in the Mt. Cook district, Otago Alps, and the Milford Sound,area. From wartime restrictions the Hut Committee had set enthusiastically about preparing a five-year plan of nut, bivouac, track and bridge construction, the major item being the section head-i quarters in the Matukituki Valley, which tne committee had decided to name ’’Aspiring Hut.” The plans prepared for this building provided for a stone building containing a large common room, kitchen and sleeping accommodation for 50 climbers, for the erection of which a permit had been obtained from the Building Controller. The foundations were now in, and the hut was fast becoming an established fact. Transport difficulties were solved by the cutting of a track through the downs in the West Matukituki. Many tons of material had been delivered at the building site. The French Ridge hut had unfortunately succumbed to the weight of snow which covered it for some months, and steps were being taken to salvage and re-erect it on a more suitable site. The financial report stated that the finances of the section reflected the considerable activity in many spheres, and the surplus for the year of £93 18s 5a must be considered most satisfactory. Officials Elected The following office-bearers were elected: —Chairman, Dr M. McGeorge; vice-chairman, Mr J. P. Cook; committee 7-Dr R. Rodda and Messrs I. McKellar, L. R. Stroud. K. Skinner, and A. R. Craigie; honorary secretary, Mr B. Quelch; honorary treasurer, Mr C. Gray.