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The Great Queens Brithday [unclear: Fiasco] ?(1966).

These days in the Tararuas we notice that there are very few huts further than one or two hours from some other hut and between any pair of Tararu huts there is a direct track. (Has anyone discovered a bush ridge recently without a blazed track?) In fact an investigation by anyself early in 1966 revealed that in and around the Tararua Range there were 55 huts, 48 within the ForestPPark [sic], 2 in the forbidden area of the Hutt River and 5 Outside the Bounds of the Park.

I decided to determine experimentally whether it was possible for a tramping, club to visit all these huts in one weekend.

Unfortuneately the only club I had the Use of was Rather shall be the taking of a long weekend seened justified. The weekend of 3-6 June 1966 was choose. Logbook stick were printed accordingly. Ten trips were planned to cover all the relevant huts.

The evening of Friday 3 June was fine and ten separate VUMTC parties converged en the Tararua Range under cover of darkness. The amount of show on the [unclear: tops] was negligible.

Saturday morninig was particularly murky at Vosselor Hut and everywhere else it was such the same, raining and hailding with a strong wind. Stephen and I were to meet Rich and Nigel coming from Alpha and we were quite amazed to find them en tea of Hector on time, at [unclear: am]. Mike and Peter Gin decided that the weather on Saturday was a bit rough so thay stayed all day with their parties in Futara and Mitre Flats Huta respectively.

On Sunday the weather was such the same although on the Main Range it was only [unclear: moderately] [unclear: miserable]. Kevin's party was unable to find the spur to McGregor Bivvy in the [unclear: mist]. Rivers were rather large everywhere which meant that Sayers Hut and Wells where were not visited and the members of the Mangahao party got very wet.

Conditions Monday were also not good but everyone continued on their journeys peter Gin's party had a long way to go, Tarn Ridge to Weiopehu to Levin and did not arrive hone until 4am Tuesday Mike's expedition in the north got as far as Roaring Stag on Monday after visiting all their huts. Terry was deleyed a day when a member of his team was injured. However by Tuesday evening all were home page break after a most enjoyable weekend!

The results of the experinent are set out below and can be sumarised as fellows. 41 trampers participated and 45 different huts were visited. 6 huts within the Park and 2 outside were missed and naturally is a law-abiding club we did not visit the 2 huts in the Hutt Catchment. I an quite convinced that could visit all huts of the Tararua Rango (including Arete and Baldy Ok bivvies and Fenn Ck Hut which have appecared since) in three days, the only additiona1 requirements being sene reasonable weather and even greater determination by [unclear: 11] participants. [unclear: asterisk] in list indicates hut visited by another party.

1.	Terry Naghorn visited Kaitoke# Thora Blithe Kevin O'Brien Harry Percival Stophanie Carmed George Freddoy Elepeth Preddey Teuherenikau Smiths Ck Allaway-Dicks Cone Totara Flats
2.	Peter Radcliffe did Lesley Bagnall Neil Meddocks Dave Stonyer Alison Tillshire Bruce Collett Masterton Rovers Blue Rangs Cow Creek Arete Forks
3.	Rose Gooder visited Pat McNaught Jin Swadlind Mike Gorton. Waitowaewae Andersons Nichols
4.	Tom Clarkson did Stephen Kerr Nick Whitten Nigel Eggers Kaitoke Dobsons Alpha Cteki Cottage Field Voseeler Kime Winchconbe Noill Forke Naungahuka Aokaparangi Mid-Vadaiohine Powell Mountain House Bannister #
5.	Ross McGerty visited Chris Little Ian Hair John,Atkinson David Greig SButh Ohau Ohau Harris Creek Avalanche Flat
6.	Kevin Poarce visited Wayne Tomping Jin Cousins Howard Eastcett Bannister Mountain Ho. Powell Angle Knob Spooners
7.	Hike Heenan Visited John de Joux Dave Plant Clive Bolt Gerald Ednunds Putara Hankurn Dundas Bannister Basin Cattle Ridge Raring Stag
8.	Peter Gin visited Malceln Crant Glen Innes. Chris Hendy Vivien Webb Mitre Flats Tarn Pidge To Natawai # Waicpehu Edwards
9.	Peter Barry did Waitewaewae# Nichols Dracophyllun Te Matawai South Chau# Ohau #

No one visited:

McGregor, Carkock, Dorset, Mid-Otaki, Sayers, Walls, Renats, Hendersone Hot a bad effort, eh?!

T.S.C.

Research Section.

This paper is the result of intensive research in the field followed by high-level theorising, by cur Scientific Writer.