OUR ALPINE HERMITAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 370, 13 September 1930, Page 8

OUR ALPINE HERMITAGE

A FEDERATION OF CLUBS UNITED FRONT TO PROBLEMS [ Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. A federation of alpine, tramping, ski and winter sports’ clubs was arrived at in Wellington as the result of a conference convened by the New Zealand Alpine Club, the object being to present a united front on various matters of importance and to develop frcilities for enabling New Zealanders to enjoy their rich heritage of scenic wonders. The chairman, Mr A. P. Harper, president of the New Zealand Alpine Club, who presided, pointed out that there was a common factor behind all these movements and urged that there should be some scheme by which a they could speak with one voice on all matters which affected this common factor. While all this had been developing amongst our young people, the Government had also moved with the times and had declared national parks, provided certain facilities to open up mountain districts and made special efforts to attract New' Zealanders and outside visitors to our mountain districts. All these things had grown with no settled plan and on no definite lines. Consequently they now found many problems arising which required supervision and organisation. Yet the people most interested were divided into separate bodies and there was no way in which they could effectively speak with one voice. Mr Harper then outlined a few of the matters requiring attention, such as the licensing of guides. The present want of a system is scandalous, he said. The question of representation of clubs on national park boards should be considered also the use of huts which, built by public money, were now placed out of reach of the man who wished to camp by reason of prohibitive chargesThere was also the question of whether the national parks should be handed over to private monopoly. Competitive private enterprise was sound, but monopoly tended to place our finest resources out of the reach of the man with a small, purse. Mr Harper then explained the draft constitution proposed by the New Zealand Alpine Club. After much discussion the constitution was adopted and the following committee set up to carry on until the first general meeting: Messrs A. P. Harper, D- R- Hoggard, C. J. Thornton, S. A. Wiren, J. H. Silson, L. 0. Hooker, B. C. Murie and T. G. Mace (acting secretary).

The conference passed unanimously a resolution that it strongly supported Mr Harper in his endeavour to procure some regulation to provide for the licensing of alpine guides as an essential safeguard in the interests of all climbers, and requested him to hand this resolution to a conference called by the Government on the guide question.