TRAMPERS' ROADS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 121, 24 May 1937, Page 8

TRAMPERS' ROADS

(To the. Editor.)

Sir;— Mr. F. W. Vosseler, writing in your issue of May 20, takes to task the delegates of the Wellington regional tramping clubs and myself. The delegates have their own means of stating their case if they consider it necessary. Mr. Vosseler, to judge by his published letters, considers himse! an authority on all matters pertaining to alpine and bush country and mountain sports in New Zealand. Mr. Vosseler questions my capacity to express an opinion or make a statement, at the same time trying to saddle me with unclaimed honours with one hand and tear them off with the other. I am, unlike Mr.' Vosseler, "merely a tramper," not particularly of the "chosen," but one asked' by the previous meeting # delegates, most of whom know me and* can decide for themselves the worth of any suggestions made, to express ah opinion as to the line which should be taken in the development of the Tararuas. My notes were hot written with any idea of publication or even with the hope of - ac? ceptance "in toto," and I can only assume that they were made available to the Press as briefly setting out the accepted ideas of the meeting. Such being the case I do not think it is my place to reply to the criticism of the actual scheme. Mr. Vosseler has, how-> ever, allowed himself the privilege of misquoting the, statement and report to the extent of .taking from the context detail which can be considered only in relation to the scheme as, whole. > From the first I have not associated myself -with any of the parties in the matters of Park Board or State Forest Service control or the question of roads in the' area, but have often expressed the opinion that all the bush in the area be brought under one control. I venture to suggest that in ihe brief notes submitted by me, despite the fact that I lack the qualifications enumerated by Mr. Vosseler, contained a more reasonable and balanced plan for the development of the region as a whole than the voluminous efforts' of Mr. Vosseler on the . comparatively small area to which he appears to confine ins attentions in this region. "Over-the-top" roads were not put forward as engineering 055*11. 1}'^ not when so many technical and trade publications and publicity films show examples of alpine road-building. What I do hold is that the initial cost and maintenance of the ™ad he proposes is beyond the resources of this d strict for a local "Sunday run round, the economic value of which is nil, for Mr. Vosseler's "Wellington people. Ine Mangahao-Eketahuna Road has the advantage that it will not attain the altitude that is required further, south and while more distant from Wellington, is better for Manawatu and Wairarapa and I take it that the scheme is to be provincial so far as Mr. Vosseler and the Tararuas allow. This road has also a possible economic value as a link between the two districts, a thing not possible with Mr. Vosseler's road, as his runs up the western side on to some of the yhignest country and down on the same side. . Despite the fact that I am not a meteorologist of wide repute I still feel confident of my ability to simple mathematical calculations, and my statements regarding Tararua weather were made on daily recorded observations from Wellington and Palmerston North by responsible club members and by fairly frequent personal tactual and visual observation on the spot Notwithstanding Mr. Vosseler's condemnation I 'shall maintain that a fairly high standard of, comfort and privacy is possible in the mountain" houses suggested by me. ■ Perhaps, through pressure of correspondence he has not had an opportunity of inspecting or testing any of the examples I mentioned. It would appear, also, that he missed the meeting's references to charges in the proposed park where the very local work he suggests would cause such charges that the only people. able to afford them are those, capable of going over the range in an aeroplane and seeing and appreciating .as much of the beauty of the country as they would whizzing through in a /notor-car. I wish others to accept my assurance that at no time have I claimed directly or by inference the qualifications stated by Mr. Vosseler for whom I make allowances and give pardon for his unjustified remarks.—l am, etc, W. E. DAVIDSON.