MISUSE OF SYME HUT

Taranaki Daily News, 27 February 1935, Page 6

MISUSE OF SYME HUT

THOUGHTLESS CLIMBERS LEFT IN A FILTHY CONDITION. SOUTH COMMITTEE’S CONCERN. QUESTION OF FURTHER CONTROL. Protesting against the misuse by climbers of Syme Hut on Fantham’s Peak, Mr. R. Syme in a report received by the South Committee of the Egmont National Park Board yesterday, advocated stricter control among parties making use of the hut. On his representation a sub-com-mittee consisting of Messrs. W. G. Walkley, chairman, L. O. Hooker, secretary, and Syme was set up to report on the position. Some time ago, said Mr. Syme in his report, it had been agreed that members of the Mount Egmont Alpine Club should be charged 6d for use of the hut during the day and 2s 6d at night, non-members paying Is 6d and 3s 6d respectively. Among day parties of people not members of the Alpine Club or in charge of a guide, there appeared to be a considerable amount of misuse of the hut. On December 9 he visited the hut with a large party of alpine club members, who left the hut in good condition. Towards the end of January, when he again climbed with two alpine club members, he found the hut in a filthy condition, and though the party had been anxious to push on, they had to spend two hours cleaning out. Blankets were found on the • floor, matches, representing a fire risk, left on a bunk and old clothes and provisions strewn round the floor. “To people who have really taken an interest in the hut the conditions are often disgusting,” continued Mr. Syme. “The alpine club members are bearing the full brunt of the damage. Half the people using the hut do not pay for the use and I consider people should not be'allowed in the hut unless in charge of a guide or alpine club members.” In a discussion on the report, Mr. H. Murray said it seemed rather hard to prevent people from using the hut. He agreed with Mr. Syme that the hut was often found in a filthy condition and that alpine club members were.bearing the full brunt of the cleaning-up. It was difficult to make people pay when they had just looked in and signed the book, but where the hut and kerosene had been used there should certainly be a, cTisrgc* “We are not getting a proper revenue from the hut,” declared Mr. Hooker. “Some £3OO was spent on the building, but we are not getting an adequate return. Occasionally'the hut has been left open or even broken open by careless outsiders whose consideration of others is notable by its absence.” »