DESTROYING FERNS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 265, 5 August 1931, Page 9

DESTROYING FERNS

Protective Steps Urged

A strong protest was made at a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last evening against the continual and growing destruction of nikau and other New Zealand ferns for the ornamentation of halls for social purposes. The question was raised by Mr. D. Bowie, who instanced a recent case whei he saw men chop down ferns near the Hutt flßoad. Ferns and trees which were irreplaceable were being destroyed in wholesale fashion, yet they were urging the authorities to reclothe the hills. It was suggested that the Minister of Forests should be written to on the subject, but Mr. A. Seed said it was under the Lands Department under which the Scenery Preservation Board acted. That board was not operating because the reserves were scattered all over the country. Some sort of policing authority should be given to local bodies. At present this sort of destruction went on and nobody seemed to have the power to prosecute. Mr' Bowie thought that where it wns found these ferns and palms were used fot decorating halls, those responsible should be required to say from where they had been obtained. It was time such criminal destruction was stopped. It, was agreed to write to the Minister of Lands, Minister of Internal Affairs, and also to bring the matter to the notice of the local bodies.