National Park administration

Press, 12 July 1980, Page 14

National Park administration

Sir, — What’s going on? A laughably cursory “inspection” of South Island national parks (two of them), and of the North (one only), by a caucus committee; recommendations bythem made twice to retain or modify slightly the present well-established system which allows personal involvement in our national parks; a review period so short as to be insulting. The result: a vague and bureaucratically self-serving bill to emasculate the present local

involvement in our land, in our precious places of rest and recreation, and to hand over power to the limited attention span of an elected Minister burdened with many other cares, particularly at present. The advantages are dubious, the action suspiciously high-handed. I urge all Canterbury people to write to the secretary of lands and agriculture select committee, Parliament Buildings, to save some piece of our individuality. — Yours, etc.,

C. SAWTELL. July 10, 1980.