Mining in national parks
Sir, — Granting Consolidated Minerals a 248 ha licence to prospect for rutile at Transit Beach, an area of great scientific and ecological value in Fiordland National Park, emphasises that New Zealand still does not accept the world ethic of national parks. National parks are set aside, by a conscious decision of the people, to be protected in perpetuity and the possibility of exploitation is given away. Mineral production in this country at present takes only 240 ha, but we now have 500,000 ha under exploration licence, HO.OOOha under prospecting and 8500 ha under mining licences. Further large areas are subject to applications. Such is the scale of the threat hanging over our countryside. “Bulk sampling,” a polite term for mining feasibility trials, is permitted under a prospecting licence. Not much of our indigenous natural heritage remains, surely we are not so greedy that we must plunder our national parks now for temporary gain. — Yours, etc., ERIC BENNETT.
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Press, 30 April 1981, Page 16
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161Mining in national parks Press, 30 April 1981, Page 16
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