Ski school

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 305, 19 September 1989, Page 2

Ski school

I wish to reply to some of the points covered in the recent article on the "Top Hat Ski School" and competition within the park. Firstly let us remember that we are talking about a national park of New Zealand, set up on the principals of conservation, recreation and education. The park is for people to enjoy. Secondly that Ruapehu Alpine Lifts was set up by a group a keen skiers as a nonprofit organisation - "The Skiers' skifield in the people's park" It is stated repeatedly "There scems to be 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." Let me dissect that statement a little. Firstly I do not "just arrive" at Whakapapa - I have skied up here all my life, I am a yearround resident of National Park township. I am a member of the Havelock Ski Club. Indeed I believe that the large number of foreign instructors are the ones that "just arrive" leaving local people out of work. "Commercial advantage". If my facts are correct adult lessons cost $26 for 1 1/2 hours. Instructors are paid about $13.50 per hour or around $20 for the 1 1/2 hour lesson. Let us put 10 people through a lesson, 10 persons @ $26 = $260, 1 instructor @ $20 = $20, total of $240. Not a bad gross margin, in fact totally excessive I would have though. Especially in a national park. "Services provided and funded by other organisations." Sir, I and all other skiers have paid every cent of the money spent on skifield equipment on Whakapapa. Apart from the money put up by th® founding shareholders of RAL, day pass saies have provided all else. I do not wish to provide chairlifts, carparks, cafeterias etc,

etc. I wish only to instruct skiing, employing kiwis, at a reasonable price. Do not forget that for every lesson I sell, RAL will sell a day pass which cover all those costs and provide a tidy profit for themselves as well. Cheaper ski instruction will encourage more people to ski better which should reduce ski patrol costs. Cheaper ski lessons should also encourage more people to ski Ruapehu which means more day pass saies. You see, I have no fight with RAL, they are doing a very good job. No, I am not prepared to pay them more than that which they already receive in day pass saies. I am prepared to pay the Department o Conservation a levy for the profit that the ski instruction makes. Indeed that is why I applied back in 1987. Goodness knows DOC needs as much income as possible. My wish is that "Top Hat Ski School," RAL and DOC can all live and work happily togcther to provide the public with the best deal possible. In fact the only people who stand to loose are the foreign instructors who, nice though they may be, are rather hard to understand. And, really, should they "just arrive," take jobs ahead of Kiwis and then "just leave"? Especially in a national park? The only objcctors to another ski school are those with a vested interest in the status quo. I get a little despondent sometimes when a school, or scouts or just a family approaches me to learn to ski and I have to say to them "no I'm not allowed." In fact it is only the continued encouragement of ordinary • kiwis that convinces me that I am right and that the system needs a shake up. Virtually . all winter activity in the Waimarino centres around the park. If the Department of Conservation cannot provide fertile ground for a business, with a positive contribution to make, if RAL cannot stand a small specialised service keeping one facet of their large corporation on its toes, then I see little future in living in this district. What do they fear? By the way, I did not tell Mr Green that I could not get the ski school under way this year, DOC told me in writing 8 May 1989, to quote "...it appears unlikely that a concession could be granted during the current ski season."

Sam

Clarkson