Harriers

The V.U.C. guerrilla unit opened operations on April 11 with a well-executed infiltration into the countryside from the base at Weir. For the first half of the run there was only one pack, the Idle Along, which those of acute perception could have observed trundling along Upland Road and through Northland to the reserve on the Tinakori Hills at a pace something slower than that of the average milk cart. There was a rumour early that newly-enthroned Club Captain Peter de la Mare wanted to put some speed into the outing, but democratic methods prevailed, and Peter had to walk with the rest. On arriving on top of one of the spurs of the Tinakori Hills the pack was divided. It seemed for a while that the packs would consist of those who wanted to work up a thirst (fast), and those for whom a permanent thirst made the effort unnecesary (slow), but this system broke down when Giff Rowberry and Dave Hefford joined the fast pack. While the slow pack under Ian Morton returned straight through Northland, the fast pack went down and along Wilton Road before returning to Weir through Northland and Kelburn. It preserved a becoming dignity throughout, with no vulgar scuffling about who should win, or anything like that. Perhans because he had a date that night Giff Rowberry was first back, but no one thought the less of him for it. Mrs. Whyte and Prof. Gould had a mighty afternoon tea awaiting us on our return, after which Peter de la Mare made his first sizeable speech of the season, to which many of us listened. Subsequently a detached fragment of the unit which ex-Club Captain Frank O'Flynn skirmished further afield, but it is felt that it would not be in the interests of national security to reveal the nature of these operations.