Wilderness policy spending upsets Coast council

Press, 5 July 1983, Page 16

Wilderness policy spending upsets Coast council

Greymouth reporter The spending of public money on a team to draw up a draft wilderness policy to exclude land from production for ever was strongly criticised by Or J. R. O’Regan at a meeting of the West Coast United Council. He said that much of New Zealand and 80 per cent of the West Coast, was de facto wilderness. It was quite ludicrous “to employ men to draw up a draft policy on wilderness areas and to map them,” he said. The Prime Minister Mr Muldoon, had urged local bodies to be watchful with their rates, but there was little inducement when money was being spent by the Government on such topics and wilderness policies, said Cr O’Regan. The chairman, Cr W. J. Mumm, said that a letter

incorporating Cr O’Regan’s remarks should be sent to the Minister of Lands, Mr Elworthy. Cr A. S. G. McGeady said the Search and Rescue Organisation was extremely concerned about the draft wilderness policy outlined in a brochure. This said that wilderness areas would have no huts or tracks or maps. If people went into a wilderness area how could they be found if an emergency arose? he asked. “It has not been thought out very well at all,” he said. On the motion of Cr O’Regan, seconded by Cr McGeady, the United Council decided to write to Mr Elworthy pointing out what it sees as the inflationary aspect of the draft wilderness policy and the proportion of land on the coast in de facto wilderness.