Trampers Discuss Abuse Of Mountain Huts

Chronicle (Levin), 29 April 1949, Page 4

Trampers Discuss Abuse Of Mountain Huts

A comp^int that the club's Ohau Hut had been used by deer-sta kers and leJt in a disgracefUx conditicn O.ver Easfer was received at Wednesday night's annual meeuing of the Levin-Waiopehu Tramping Ciub. . A .member. Mr. W. H. Ransom,

s^aid that the hut had been used .>..niiderab-y over the Easter weekend. On ihe Sunday morning when his- party had arrived there he had found the hut oceupied by four deer-stalkers and the place had been in a shocking state. Three deer had been shot and the skins s'tretched out ov"br sheets of iron used by trampers as auxiliary shehers. Gear and equipment had been left lying round the hut and at least three legs of deer were hanging in the room. He asked if % the club couid do anything about j "* the matter. The president, Mr. N. M. Thomson, said that such a matter rested with members. It was obviously too late for anyihing to be done at this stage, he commented, adding that it was up to members to make sure that such a state of affairs did not come about. The deerstalkers were not trespassing and there was no notice barring the use of the hut by anyone but trampers. He would advise members to have no hesitation whatsoever in pointing out to any such persons that the hut was nxt their's and that it had to be left in a reasonable and iidy state, said Mr. Thomson. They were we come to use the huts, but ghould leave them c'ean. It was a privilege which should not be abused. The eommktee might well consider placing notices to this effect in the club's huts, warning against their improper use and pointing out that preference in occupa.ion must be given to club members.