UNIQUE IN THE WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 31, 7 February 1928, Page 8

UNIQUE IN THE WORLD.

INTEREST OF RANGITOTO. PRESERVING THE SANCTUARY BOTANISTS AND THE PEOPLE. During his visit to Rangitoto Island yesterday afternoon, Dr. A. W. Hill, the noted English botanist, said he did not like the idea of building a road and bringing in motor cars. He remarked that Rangitoto was probably unique in the world because as a volcano fairly recently extinct it had been "colonised" by plants under most interesting conditions. It should be preserved as a plant sanctuarv with as little disturbance as possible. If it were made into a holiday resort all kinds of weeds were bound to find their way in. The needs of visitors should be met by a good track to the summit and perhaps a rest-house. Dr. Hill was welcomed to the island by Mr. T. Walsh as representing the Rangitoto Island Domain Board, in the unavoidable absence of the chairman (Mr. E. Aldridge). He said that recognising that the island was unique in the world of botany the board was preserving as much of it as they could as a sanctuary for native plants and native birds. On the other hand, the island was a public domain, and this fact imposed responsibilities upon the board. They thouerht the best way was to make j a road from which the public would not wish to deviate and thus protect the sanctuary. Dr. L. Cockayne expressed the opinion that it was best for the board to make a good road and a play area for the nublic. If this were done he though*' the people would not be so likely to get among the plants. In the course of the visit some interesting features of plant life were pointed out to Dr. Hill liv Dr. Cockayne, Miss M. Crooke3 (an authority on the flora of Rangitoto), and others. The visitor displayed special interest in kidney ferns growing in places which were not especially well shaded. He thought the plant life as a whole most interesting. Dr. Hill expressed the opinion that a chemical investigation of the lava rock would be valuable as throwing light on the question as to how the various plants obtained their nourishment. He said he had visited only one spot that was in any way equivalent to Rangitoto from the viewpoint of the botanist.