Damage To Reserve Subject Of Report

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30971, 29 January 1966, Page 1

Damage To Reserve Subject Of Report

A report and recommendation on damage to the Cobden Hill scenic reserve, where the Grey Valley Televiewers’ Society has erected a translator, will be made to the Lands and Survey Department in Wellington by the Commissioner of Crown Lands in Hokitika.

Two or three warnings to the society about the danger of interfering with a scenic reserve had evidently been disregarded, a spokesman for the commissioner said yesterday. He said the report was likely to go first to the department’s solicitor, then to the Crown Law Office and to the Minister of Lands (Mr Gerard). The spokesman mentioned a translator erected on Mount Luxmore to relay television to Te Anau. Although it was in a national park, the department had co-operated with the local society, a park ranger had assisted with the siting, and the translator had

been erected without harm to bush or scenic attractions, he said. “Quite a lot of damage is done to such reserves and national parks by vandals, unthinking tourists and even local people, but the department’s most difficult job is pinning down the offenders,” said the spokesman. “Where we can pin them down we take into account the nature of the offence and the motives behind it.” At a meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council last year, Cr. L. M. Schaef, a member of the scenic board, mentioned the danger of such damage.