WAIPOUA FOREST

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25738, 25 February 1949, Page 5

WAIPOUA FOREST

MOVE FOR PRESERVATION COMMENDED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 23. Gratification at the action of the Pacific Science Congress in urging upon the Government the complete preservation of the Weipoua forest was expressed in a statement to-day by Mr A. P. Harper, president of the Forest and Bird Protection Society. Mr Harper said it was very satisfactory that the contentions advanced by his and ether societies had been so signally corroborated' by such an eminent'gathering. He said that the § etition which his society had laid efore the Government immediately after a 50,000-signature petition had been talked out in the House of Representatives, was still awaiting a hearing before the Lands Committee of the House, and meanwhile, on the instructions of the Commissioner of State Forests (Mr C. F. Skinner) all work at Waipoua had ceased. He hoped, because of this important resolution, that .the Government might carry out the ijecommendation of the Lands Committee on the first petition without further delay. [The recommendation of the Lands Committee mentioned by Mr Harper was that the petition asking for the preservation of Waipoua forest as a national park under a board of trust be referred to the Government for favourable consideration.]