NOT MADE ACCESSIBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 126, 31 May 1939, Page 10

NOT MADE ACCESSIBLE.

(To the Editor.)

I am and have always been very in favour of preserving native bush in these wonderful ranges, but before we ialk of a further 20.000 acres of park, which is largely an inaccessible area, I desire to inform rte advocates that there are already several huge public juirks in these ranges. Among them the famous Pukematekeo Kauri Forest Cascades Park of 2Sfio odd acres, containing one of the finest kauri forests left in this Dominion (through a small part of which the Scenic Drive now runs), which park has been owned by the Auckland City Council for the past 20 years or over, yet nothing has ever been done by tlie council to make it accessible to the public so as to enable Auc-klanders and visitors to see this magnificent kauri forest, cascades, etc. If anyone ventures to see it lie or she has to tramp for a mile over stones, through Taranaki gates, crossing a stream over big boulders. Women especially often fall into the water crossing this stream over these big boulders. The land which it is proposed to

acquire for a Centennial memorial park is mostly inaccessible and is only rubbish when compared with the Cascades Park. If for all these years the Auckland City Council has owned the Cascades Park without opening it for the use and enjoyment of the public, what good will the further 20.000 acres be if it cannot be reached by the people? It would seem that our city father* desire to preserve thousands of acres of these parks for a few cranks. tiam]-s and nudists who want them to remain roadie—i so that no public can reach them and intrude upon the privacy of what thev look upon as their special preset ves. AUCKLAND F. R.