"Despoliation" Of Reserves Deplored By Royal Society

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28284, 23 May 1957, Page 7

"Despoliation" Of Reserves Deplored By Royal Society

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON May 22. Three million damped beer bottles were colle-.’ted from a beach near Tauranga about three years ago, the council of the Royal Society of- New Zealand was told today. The case was cited to the council’s annual meeting in Wellington as an example of widespread despoliation of scenic reserves, national parks, camping grounds, ana highways. Dr. J. T. Salmon, convener of the society’s conservation committee, described the litter in many places as disgusting. He said that if the practice continued unchecked many of New Zealand’s scenic reserves would be spoiled. “The problem has been tackled and solved in other countries, and the committee feels it is time the problem was properly tackled on a national basis in New Zealand,” he said. The committee said that the problem had developed largely through the failure of some local authorities and other governing bodies to provide adequate facilities for rubbish disposal. The committee’s recommendation, adopted by the council, was that the society should bring the

matter before othei interested organisations, and that legislation be introduced to require local bodies to provide, when necessary, reasonably adequate toilet facilities, safe incinerators for burnable rubbish, pits or other receptacles for non-burnable rubbish, and signposts to indicate where such facilities can be found. The council also adopted a recommendation that it should be made an offence to throw rubbish from a moving vehicle.