Family Cabins In Auckland's 10,000 Acre Park?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 23 October 1945, Page 4

Family Cabins In Auckland's 10,000 Acre Park?

AFTER making substantial headway towards the purchase of the 10,000 acres of bushland involved, the Auckland Centennial Park Board has encountered difficulties in its task of implementing the special Act of Parliament passed in 1941 for the development of a natural park in the Waitakeres. The difficulties relate to the obtaining of some 1100 acres from small property-holders, and they are not considered insurmountable. They promise, however, to delay a plan that has the potentialities for supplying week-end recreational facilities of the highest order for city-weary Aucklanders. One of the first features of such a plan that springs to mind is the provision of family cabins. There is ample room in the area acquired by the board for the formation of camps of this nature. The area's attractions are obvious. There is the invigorating atmosphere, the beauty of the native bush, the magnificent views of the harbours and the city. Swimming pools in the streams could be provided, and there has been the suggestion that horses could be made available for riding on country near the coast. Also suggested is a circular track through the ranges with branch tracks to the various bays—a three : day tramp. Not Yet Considered But such suggestions have not, as yet, been considered by the Centennial Park Board. Though the board has the. power to erect hostels, motor camps and similar facilities, it has adopted no programme. Up to now it has been engaged in acquiring land, carrying out fencing work where boundaries are considered to be finally fixed, and making arrangements for the prevention of Are damage and other types of bush destruction. Ranging is largely co-ordinated with that maintained on City Council waterworks property, and is stepped up in summer when fire risk is greater. A little track work has been done. A track has been formed, for instance, to the specimen kauris in Walker's Bush, Henderson Valley; other tracks into the Piha Valley are being constructed to replace those spoiled by milling operations. There are, incidentally, a number of stands of young kauris in the area, the best being at Cascade Park. Of the £15,000 raised by local body levies and Government subsidy to meet the cost of developing the park, less than £2000 remains, and this will be absorbed in the acquisition of property. The board is empowered to levy on contributing bodies (nearly all Auckland local bodies apart from the Onehunga Borough Council and the North Shore borough councils) to the extent of l-100d in the pound. This year's levy was l-200d in the pound, the return of £1450 going towards ranging and survey costs, legal fees, fencing and the reconditioning of two rangers' cottages. Public Subscription List? The cost of any buildings erected by the board would have to be met out of votes from the annual levy. But for such a scheme as has been suggested—a scheme that would provide cabins for families and a variety of recreational amenities —it is doubtful whether Aucklanders would object to a public subscription list. They would be helping themselves and would derive benefits almost immediately. Three of the 11 members of the Centennial Park Board are City Council representatives, three suburban ' local body representatives and one a representative of the ad hoc bodies. The other members are the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Auckland waterworks engineer, the Commissioner of Crown Lands and a representative of the Waitemata County Council. Conspicuous absentees are representatives of any tramping clubs, among the most vitally interested in the area's development. In August last the board withdrew a bill before Parliament which provided for the addition of three members representing the Auckland Institute and Museum Council, the Auckland University College and donors of land above £50 in value. This action was taken because a further amendment to the Auckland Centennial Memorial Park Act (1941) was proposed in the House which would have had the effect of adding representatives of the Auckland Association of Mountain Clubs and the Horticulture Society. The board's future move in this respect will be decided at its meeting on October 30. Although the board has power to co-opt outside interests —it has co-opted the Museum botanist, the University lecturer in botany and the president of the Alpine Sports Club to the forest botany committee, for example—it is felt that the difficulty where climbing and tramping interests are concerned is to co-opt legally constituted bodies. However, the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand are working on the question of obtaining representation on the controlling boards of the Dominion's national parks so that the difficulty may soon be overcome. The board intends to set up a development committee "when conditions are favourable." A suggestion that might well be made is that a full-time executive officer be to superintend the many issues that will be involved in the scheme. Were this done it is likely that this particular ideal will be realised in the not too distant future.