YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24905, 19 June 1946, Page 5

YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION

OPTIMISM EXPRESSED MOVEMENT POPULAR IN CANTERBURY Optimism about the Youth Hostels Association’s activities in New Zealand was justified by the rapid growth of interest immediately after the war, said Professor George Jobberns, president of the Dominion council, at the annual meeting of delegates in Christchurch recently. Hostels were confined to Canterbury (with most on Banks Peninsula) and Westland, but South Canterbury, the Marlborough Sounds, the Rotorua district, the Coromandel Peninsula, and North Auckland seemed suitable for early extension of the farm-house type of hostel chain. Fif-. teen hostels of this type on Banks Peninsula had given excellent service to trampers, who were deeply grateful to the owners for the facilities offered. Membership in Canterbury totalled 348. A proposal to erect a permanent hostel on Banks Peninsula to accommodate larger parties than was possible at the farm-house hostels was referred to affiliated clubs for an expression of opinion. It was reported that sites at Charteris Bay had been inspected and that another at Governor’s Bay had recently been suggested. A new road down to the Cholmondeley Home would be constructed soon. This would open up a little valley where buildings could be erected. Some delegates suggested that better use could be made of a hostel in a more distant area, where other accommodation was not available, but it was stated that the council had been considering provision for school parties, who would not venture too far afield. Difficulty in arranging adequate supervision of an isolated hostel was mentioned.

The following officers were elected:— patron. Miss Cora Wilding; president, Mr E. W. Hullett; vice-presidents. Professor G. Jobberns, Messrs James Deans, A. Cox and S. C. Muirson: secretary, Mr V. M. Readman: assistant secretary. Miss Doris Sutherland: reservations ’ secretary, Mr Norman Wright; treasurer, Mr W. Hammett; auditor, Mr Keith Johnston; council, Messrs A. B. Fordyce, jun., C. Cox. L. R. Samson, D. O’Halloran, I. R. Smith. I. Williams, Misses M. Woods, S. Roscoe and J. Bust.

Appreciation of the work of Professor Jobberns as president for more than 10 years was recorded. He did not seek re-election. Mr Hullett urged that too many trips by large parties should not be organised at the risk of spoiling the unique features of visits alone a chain of farmhouse hostels by small groups.