MOUNTAIN PLAYGROUND

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 219, 10 June 1921, Page 6

MOUNTAIN PLAYGROUND

TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK. The initial meeting of the Tongariro National Park Sports Club was held in th® Council Chamber of the Town Hall. Auckland, on Monday evening, the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) presiding. /Twenty members were present. The chairman eaid the club had been formed in April, largely through the instrumentality of Mr. John Cullen. Its obiects were to further the development of the area and to cultivate a public interest in it. The park did not belong exclusively to Auckland; in every sense It was a national asset. It belonged ns much to Wellington as to Auckland, and us much to the South Island as to the North Island. One of its great advantages was ills situation. It lay right in the centre ftf the North Island at a high altitude, and therefore offered the change required by the people living in the cities and coastal toiw. In the past the park had been neglected, and its great value was not yet appreciated except by a few enthusiasts, such as Mr. Cullen and Professor Algie. At a time like the present it was necessary to take a. broad point of view and not introduce debatable matter. It would be better to meet, on thh united ground of common citizenship. lie referred to other bodies interested in one particular phase of sport on the mountain playing ground, such as the Ski Club, and said there was no reason why the club formed. on general lines should not work quite complimentary to, and in a harmonious manner with, other organisations. There was no reason why Auclf’and should nor. link up with Wellington. Very little could be done unless they had the Government at the back of any organisation for the development of the area which had been vested in the Tourist Department. The park would never bo more accessible by rail than it now was, but although there was a splendid road through the park it* road access, both from the north and the south, was bad. He was hoping that

the Minister of Public Works, in the proposals ho had promised to submit to Parliament this year, would embody provision for a main road right through the island. Tho club, concluded the speaker, already had a membership of 1(X), and

it was not a parochial membership. They had members from New Plymouth, Hawera, Wanganui, Wellington, Te Kuiti, Raotihi, Hastings, Cambridge, and Waipiro Bay. The following officers were elected:— President, the Right Hon. W. F. Massey; vice-presidents, Mr. Justice Herdman, Sir James Carroll, Hon. George Fowlds, and Messrs. J. H. Gunson, H. T. Gorrie, Erie. Riddiford, H. Horton. F. F. Hockly, M.P., W. Glenn, M.P., Claude Motion. F. W. Platts, A. B. Williams and T. W. Acheson; committee, Hr. Chatfield, Professor R. M. Algie. Hon. G. Fowlds, and Messrs. J. 11. Gunson, E. Riddiford, H. n. Ostler, A. M'Cnbe, H. Horton, G. M. Currie, R. Grace, W. Duncan, E. H. Davis, F. F. Hockly, M.P., H. R. M'Kenzie, H. T. Gorrie, C. Motion, J. A. Gillett, F. M'Kenzie, and J. Cullen; bon. secretary and treasurer, J. Cullen.

Professor Algie expressed his pleasure as a member of the Ski Club at the formation of the club, and of being associated with it. The park, he said, was well worth the concerted effort of all interested bodies. Messrs. A. J. Entrican and, H. T. Gorrie supported the club and commended Its object*.