CLUB PROCEEDINGS

The Twenty-second Annual General Meeting of the Himalayan Club was held at Artistry House, Park Street, Calcutta, on Tuesday, ioth October 1950. The President of the Club, Mr. C. E. J. Crawford, took the chair.

The Minutes of the Twenty-first Annual General Meeting held in Calcutta on 1 ith October 1949 were confirmed. The Annual Report and Audited Accounts for the year ended 31 st December 1949, copies of which had been duly circulated by post to all members, were confirmed and approved. Messrs. Price, Waterhouse, Peat & Co. were reappointed Auditors for the year ending 31st December 1950. The Officers, Elective Members of Committee, and Additional Members of the Balloting Committee were duly elected as follows:

OFFICERS

President: C. E.J. Crawford, Esq.

Vice-Presidents: Dr. J. B. Auden.
Lt.-Col. H. W. Tobin.

Honorary Treasurer: C. I. Turcan, Esq.

Honorary Secretary: T. H. Braham, Esq.

Honorary Local Secretaries'.

Delhi: Major R. E. Hotz.

Darjeeling: L, Krenek, Esq,

Bombay: A. R. Leyden, Esq.

Kulu: Major H. M. Banon.

Dehra Dun: j. A. K. Martyn, Esq.

United Kingdom: Lt.-Col. H. W. Tobin.

Honorary Editor: Lt.-Col. H. W. Tobin.

Elective Members of Committee:

W. A. Brown, Esq.A. V. K. Murray, Esq.

S. E. Golledge, Esq.V. S. Riscoe, Esq.

Major R. E. Hotz.Dr. T. A. Schinzel.

J. Latimer, Esq.F. H. V. Scrimgeour, Esq.

W. E. Murphy, Esq.R. A. S. Thomas, Esq.

Additional Members of Balloting Committee:

L. Arculus, Esq.J. T. M. Gibson, Esq.

Capt. W. B. Bakewell.M. J. Hackney, Esq.

Dr. K. Biswas.Dr. S. C. Law.

A. R. Colley, Esq.J. O. Sims, Esq.

A. J. Dash, Esq.T. D. Welby, Esq.

Other Appointments:

Honorary Librarian: V. S. Risoe, Esq.

Honorary Equipment Officer: A. V. K. Murray, Esq.

Membership. Fifty-seven new members were elected during 1950 and it is reassuring to find an increase in the number of candidates for election. There were 19 deaths, 10 resignations, and 114 members were struck off for non-payment of subscriptions, of whom 10 members were reinstated. The membership now stands at 512.

Mountaineering in 1950. There has been a remarkable increase in Himalayan activity during the year both on llie part of small parties organized in India and of larger expeditions from abroad. Details of the more notable achievements will be found at greater length elsewhere in this Journal, but spec i.il mention is made here of the success of the French Expedition which made a first ascent of Dhaulagiri, 26,504 feet, in Nepal; and of the Norwegian party which made a first ascent of Tirich Mir, 25,237 feet, in Chitral. A British party, led by H. W. Tilman, carried mil valuable scientific observations in Nepal and came very close to success in an attempt on Annapurna IV. A Scottish party led by VV. II. Murray visited and climbed in comparatively little-known country in the Garhwal- Kumaon area. An Anglo-Swiss party, including Rene Dittert, made a first ascent of Ibi Gamin, 24,130 leet, in Garhwal. Whilst a party of young climbers organized by J T. M. Gibson made a first ascent of Bandarpunch, 20,720 feet, in Garhwal. There is news that expeditions from France and New Zea land are planned for 1951, which will be a year of somewhat diminished activity.

Sikkim. The bursting of a lake east of the Sebu La below Chombu in October 1950 caused widespread damage throughout the Lachung valley and particularly in Lachung village, where several houses were destroyed. Many of the bridges on the main Gangtok-Chungthang road were washed away or destroyed, but the path is now open and repairs are fast being completed. The Glub Hut at Mome Samdong was heavily damaged during a storm, and members are advised that it will not be possible to use this hut until repairs have been completed. The Club Hut at Jha Chu, north-west of the Sebu La, is reported to be in good condition at present.

Section News. Delhi. Major R. E. Hotz took over the Honorary Secretaryship in February 1950 when the new section was formed with a handful of members resident in Delhi. There has since been a remarkable increase in the membership of this section and enthusiasm seems to be on the increase. For this a lot of credit must go to Major R. E. Hotz, who has helped to enliven interest by organizing frequent meetings and lectures which have been popular and well attended.

Bombay. This section, with Mr. A. R. Leyden as Honorary Secretary, was first formed in 1946 with a small number of members which lias now increased to about twenty. Frequent meetings have taken place and several excursions organized in the surrounding hills of Bombay. Dinners have been held on two occasions, followed by illus- I rated talks. There is a small equipment store in Bombay, located at the Oxford University Press by courtesy of Mr. R. E. Hawkins.

Darjeeling. This centre, which is the dwelling-place of all the Sherpa ind Bhutia porters, has been very active during 1950, and thanks are due in large measure to Mr. L. Krenek, who took over the Honorary Local Secretaryship in March from Mr. T.J. Hardingham. The Club lias always held in Darjeeling a Register of Porters which has provided a valuable source of information to members. Unfortunately, during and shortly after the war it was not possible to maintain this Register. Soon after Mr. Krenek took over the Secretaryship the important task of revising the Register was taken in hand, and there is now in existence a fully up-to-date Register of Porters. A List appears elsewhere in this Journal, and it is sad to record that several of the older men are now dead. The numbers, however, are far from declining, and there is much talent to be found amongst younger men. There are still six pre-war 'Tigers' living in Darjeeling at present. The Honorary Local Secretary has also given much assistance to organizers of expeditions both from India and abroad by selecting and recruiting suitable porters.

Library. An up to-date catalogue of the Library, now housed at the Calcutta Light Horse Club in Calcutta, is in course of preparation and, it is hoped, will be issued shortly.

In addition to the books, maps, and photographs which were transferred from Delhi there are the books which formed the Eastern Section's Library, and also an extremely valuable collection of books on mountaineering left to the Club by the late Mr. A. A. Vlasto and referred to in volume xiv of the Journal.

There are still some back numbers of the Journal available at Rs. 7/8 per volume to members, and applications should be made to the Honorary Librarian. No spare copies of volumes i, iii, and iv are now available.

New rules for the issue of books from the Library are under preparation, and the Committee have decided that it will be necessary to ask members who wish to borrow books to make a small deposit. The Club has unfortunately lost some books which were issued to members and never returned, and as most, of the Club's books can only be replaced with great difficulty, if at all, the Committee feel sure that members will support such measures as may be necessary to protect the Club's property.

Equipment. The Equipment Store is located alongside the Library at the Calcutta Light Horse Club in Calcutta. It has been possible to replenish the store with several items of serviceable equipment, and orders have been placed in England for a number of brand-new tents, sleeping-bags, and ice-axes, which should be available for hire to members within a few months. Thus a quantity of old pre-war equipment, now no longer serviceable, has been discarded. Applications and inquiries should be addressed to the Honorary Equipment Officer, Himalayan Club, who will advise members of rules for hiring equipment and current hiring charges.

The Himalayan Journal. All papers and communications for publication in the next volume should be addressed to the Honorary Editor, 'Crosstrees', Sway Road, Lymington, Hampshire. Photographs, if sent, should be enlarged to half-plate size on glossy paper.

Members must notify their change of address to the Honorary Secretary. Responsibility for non-delivery of the Journal cannot be accepted if members do not do so. When Journals are returned undelivered through the post, they cannot be sent again to a new address except on payment of postage.

Club Address. All communications to the Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Librarian, or Honorary Equipment Officer should be addressed to the officer concerned, as follows:

Himalayan Club,
Post Box No. 9049,
Park Street P.O.,
Calcutta, 16.

The Honorary Secretary wishes to point out that there are still many members whose- names appear on the Register of Members but for whom no address is known, and he would be very glad to receive news of these members, with their present address.

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