THE HON. T. MACKENZIE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 411, 21 January 1909, Page 6

THE HON. T. MACKENZIE.

TRIP THROUGH .CENTRALOTAGO;."."• : ,\.:. r : "v ';\-^^ ;,>tBI. TJSLEQBAJPa-TSrECXiI.iCOEpESPOIiDEST.),".H'! /:- ;ir '■ : ' : " . ' : - : h: ' r '':''Dunedin/ : January < '20; :! ' : ' ; The' Hon. T; Mackenzie: returned to 'Dvuk'ediri .last .night I 'after'' nearly'-a:'- week's trip'. througbJCentral Otago'in" company-: with-' Meis--srs. T. E.Donne (manager of the Tourist ; and Health Resorts Department) and H. : J.-Mat-thews (Chief; Forester in the. State-- Forestry Department). Ono of the objects:of : the visit was to see what could be done to ar» rest tho tendenoy of a big area in the interior to revert into a wilderness.'- Mr. ( Ma<S; kenzie found:that there was no denying the fact, and considered that it presents a big; problem. He states that what, ought to be ; done is to "rest" a number of the sheep runs, and that experiments; in regrassing should be made with native l grasses collected from other districts. .:;■■-• ■■.-■. ';.-•-;.".'" To-morrow the Minister and Messrs. Donne' and Matthews leave on a visit to the West Coast' Sounds. - '.■ The party will pick up at the' Bluff' the Government steamer" Hinemoa, which is' making her? annual cruise of- -in-' spection of the 1 southern lighthouses.': Preservation Inlbt.. Resolutiou Island, George, : ■Dusky: ; and Milford Sounds will bo_ visited, . and at Milford Sound the Ministerial party will leave the steamer and walk overland through the Arthur- and. Clinton Valleys to' Lake'Te Anau, tho intention being to visi* some of the western arms of the lake. ..Mi. Mackenzie is particularly anxious to see. it; there is any possibility of connecting Lakes Manapouri and To' Anau with a steamer service.. The trip is/expected to occupj : about ton days, and; the Hinemoa's annua? cruise fits in ' opportunely, as -by taking 'ac vantage-of-it now Mr. .Mackenzie will b.:. able to.get first-hand information ing matters that are bound to be dealt with in ■ framing the next estimates for -the Tourist Department, and/will be.able to.explain to Parliament the Government pro \ On his return to Dunedin; Mr. Mackenzie will either go-to the North Island rcsortf direct or will visit Hanmer. Springs and Mount Cook on his way north.