MOUNTAIN RISKS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 12, 5 September 1931, Page 4

MOUNTAIN RISKS

EXPERT GUIDES NEEDED LEADING ALPINIST'S WARNING "'With the exception of the avalanche which overtoolc Captain King and two guides on Mount Cook in 1913, I do not know of any other accident in New Zealand which cannot be traoed to s6m,e mistake or to something that should not have happened;" said Mr A. P. Harper, president of the New Zealand Alpine Club, 'to a Wellington Dominion reporter. -The British Alpine Glub, he said, had taken a careful record of all accidents in Switzerland over many years, and of these it had been found that 97 per cent. should have heen avoided, and of the remainlng three per cent. only half per cent. could be classed as being absolutely unavoidable. n the case of 'this last accident, on Ruapehu, Mr Harper continued, the party should not have attempted the ascent without proper knowledge of the weather conditions. The experienced man could generally get adequate warning of had weather, and if conditions were doubtful, he would advise that it was wiser to give up climbing for the day, especially at 'this time of the ypar. The inexperienced man, or the visitor, had no, way bf reading local weather signs; he considered the outlook good enough, and every now and then trouble followed. J Quick Weather Changes. t Mr Harper said that the weather changes in mountainous country were much more violent and rapid than in the low country, and isolated peaks, such as Ruapehu, and Egmount, appeared to attract had weather. Many bf the parties were pressed for time, and mig'ht liave only a day or two for their climbing. For them lie had a lot of sympathy, and the fact that a holiday only came once a yeir might he regarded as some sort of exeuse for persisting in the face of doubtful weather. . " If these parties have no knowledge of weather signs they may walk into danger, ignorant that t'he weather threatens, or • they may regard the signs as unpromising, whereas, in fact, a favourable change would be read in the signs almost with certa'inty by an experienced man," Mr Harper said. Licensing of Guides. Mr Harper said that in September, 1930, the Minister of Tourist Resorts called a confei'ence to discuss the •question of guides, and there was a full attendance of representatives 6f clubs, park boards, tourist organisations. members of Parliament, and prominent guides. • Mr Harper explained his proposals, and there was a unanimous resolution that it should be illegal for any person to guide for payment without a license, or for anyone to employ such a guide. Last May a sub-committee adopted the licensing proposaR arid the Minister gave an assurance that legislation to set up a board to license guides would be introduced this session. At present- there is some doubt about the passage of the legislation. The proposed licensing board is to consist of two qualified and two amateur guides, to act on the recommendation of a chief guide. It is proposed to issue licenses in three cias-ses, though guides in the two lowe'r divisions would have the opportunity of accompanying ^flrst-class men on the more difficult climbs in order to gain experience. Practically every guide in New Zealand was wholeheartedly behind the club in that proposal, added Mr Harper.