Skiers oppose parks bill

Press, 15 August 1980, Page 14

Skiers oppose parks bill

New Zealand’s national parks, now free from political interference, could soon be under Government influence if the National Parks Bill is passed, says the president of the Christchurch Ski Club, Mr D. G. Stove. The ski club will make submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee studying the bill. “The justification for

these changes is a saving in money but this cannot be demonstrated,” Mr Stove said. “The change will remove from office many dedicated volunteers arid replace them with career bureaucrats paid from the public purse.” Contributions would be lost from eminent scientists, botanists, zoologists, ecologists and others

whose talents and enthusiasms could not be bought. They had given freely so that others might fully enjoy the parks, said Mr Stove. “The Minister says that the administration of these skilled men, as well as the advice of all those with an interest in national parks,

will be replaced with a larger- board covering several diverse areas which must take direction from the Minister.” This board would be able to advise on and oversee policy but would not have power to ensure it was implemented. “The Minister says the new board will be able to formulate management plans; is he not aware that the old boards have already done this? “I have lived for more than a decade within the boundaries of Arthur’s Pass National Park and appreciate the immense amount of work done by board members who have aparticular interest in this area. This will not always extend to the wider areas to be covered by the new boards,” Mr Stove said. “I can see no way in which the reduced number of boards, with the consequent reduction in the number of board members, can be aware of problems in ' areas as diverse as Mount Cook National Park and Okains Bay Coastal Reserve. “At least with the ’ present system the members of each park board are aware of the specific and peculiar problems they are discussing in each particular park, and the overseeing authority can make policy to cover the wider issues at stake, Mr Stove said.