Ski school competition questioned

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 303, 8 September 1989, Page 4

Ski school competition questioned

Top Hat Ski School may be in recess but its operator hasn't given up trying for the chance to run his alternative lessons.

Sam Clarkson of National Park is now waiting for the next meeting of the Taupo/Tongariro National Parks and Reserves Board to consider his application. The board's last meeting, scheduled for 4 August, was cancelled and it now looks likely Sam will go at least another ski season without being able to run his "Top Hat Ski School". District Conservator Paul Green told the Bulletin the board meets about once every three months and that no date has been set for the next one. He said there are few items at this stage for the board to look at and that they usually wait until there are a number of matters to consider. He said the

meeting was "not really overdue". Missed meeting Mr Green said Mr Clarkson had missed the last meeting when the board was to consider his application and that Mr Clarkson had told him he did not expect have his ski school up and running this ski season because of other considerations. Last year the Bulletin ran a story on Mr Clarkson's fight, which began when he applied for, and was denied, a licence to operate his ski school. He says he was one of many small private ski schools linked to commercial lodges operating at Whakapapa and that he decided to "do it properly" and apply for a licence. Ironically, after being denied the

licence and being told not to operate, the other non-Whakapapa ski school lessons are still being run, says Mr Clarkson. Sam says all he wants is a chance to prove that competition will lead to affordable ski lessons which will lead to more people taking lessons, which in turn will lead to safer skiers. Affordable He says he can offer ski lessons at half the cost of the RAL ski school, who he says charge $25 per head per lesson. "The average family coming for a weekend's skiing just can't afford to pay that much," he says. Ruapehu Alpine Lifts General Manager Dave Mazey said the $25 price is for an adult group lesson and that a beginner lesson costs $15 for and adult and $12 for a junior. He said there are also mid-

week packages, school group packages and a first timer's package which all bring the lesson price down. "Ensuring quality instruction at a reasonable price should be a primary goal of the Department of Conservation, to ensure the public the fullest enjoyment and safety in the Park," says Sam. DoC's district conservator Paul Green said his department is interested in promoting ski safety and he does not agree that there is no ski school competition. He says that Turoa and Whakapapa compete to provide ski lessons. He also said in reply to Mr Clarkson last year that it is usual for there to be just one ski school in a ski area and that this was quite reasonable. Competition Asked if Turoa provides competition for Whakapapa Dave Mazey said "hell, yes". He said Whakapapa had to compete with Turoa as well as the South Island fields. "We haven't got a monopoly on the ski business." Mr Green said setting ski lesson prices was a business decision for RAL to make. Mr Green said this week that the park has worked with several concessionaires at the Whakapapa ski area and that this causes problems with allocating levies for non-charge-able services such as car parking, toilets, snow grooming and ski patrol. The Tongariro National Park Management Plan states a clear preference to one concessionaire on each ski field. "A skifield company is required to make a large investment to develop a ski field and then manage it," said Mr Green. "It thus seems only fair that a skifield company who is funding the various facilities and services has the opportunity to earn revenue from the same services," wrote

Mr Green last year and he reiterated this view this week. "There seems little reason why Mr Clarkson should be able to arrive at Whakapapa and take commercial advantage of the many services provided and funded by other organisations." No free ride In reply Sam said he was not after a free ride and says he is still willing to pay a levy and that providing competition is still the issue. Mr Mazey said it would be an "interesting levy to calculate". "If Sam had to contribute to the ski field costs I don't think he would last at our rates,"

said Dave Mazey. He gave a long list of services and activities that RAL provides and said all the skifield businesses, which now come under RAL, pay for their running costs. Mr Green said it would be a very complex task to work out a levy and that it was a problem DoC had had when there were a number of concessionaires at Whakapapa. Sam claims when Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bought the Chateau Ski School they found it did not have a formal licence and that, while they applied this year, they have since received their licence. This irks him as his application

was put forward in 1987. "I can understand he feels aggrieved by it but it's a different situation," said Paul Green. He said RAL's ski school fits the man4 agement plan while Sam Clarkson's application is a complex one;" said Paul Green. Sam Clarkson said he asked the board for information on the proceedings in considering the RAL licence but has been told nothing. Mr Green said it was true RAL had to apply for a licence since buying the Chateau Ski School. He said the THC operated the ski school under a Cabinet Directive and that RAL's Turnpage5

Ski lessons From page 4 ski field operation licence is currently being reviewed. Dave Mazey said the RAL ski school is operating legally. "It's not like I'm a fly-by-nighter," says Sam. Tve been trying to do this for five years."