The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1937. THE PUBLIC AND THE TARARUAS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 173, 19 April 1937, Page 8

The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1937. THE PUBLIC AND THE TARARUAS

Whether the Tararuas should be declared a national park as a Centennial Memorial for the Wellington district,, or strictly P r^ ente in its present state as a virgin forest region accessible only to tempers, s Question that can only be answered satisfactory by taking a long q view. The discussion at the lar S el y; a “ e H ded general meeting of the Tararua Tramping Club in Wellington last week revealed divisions of opinion. A representative conferenie is to be held shortly to consider the matter. The lss P e J 1 simplified if those who participate in the proceedings will < mind that this is a question that touches the public inteiest as well as the tempers’. . .■ The tempers “discovered” the sylvan charm and scenic vane y of the Tararuas. There is an unborn craving among many to escape from the madding crowd and find solace in remote solitud . 1 feelTng in a sense's a reproach to the hustle and bustle of modern civilisation. Having found such a retreat in the Tararuas it is not unnatural that the tempers should desire to safeguard its pnvjl From their point of view the roading of this region for the P ur P° of facilitating access to people unequal to the exertion of penetrati the wilderness under present conditions would mean the loss ot then solitude. Madding crowds of picnickers would invade their sanctuaries, leave the usual litter of picnic debris behind, and possibly do serious damage to the vegetation by acts of vandalism. Experience tells us that such fears are by no means unwarranted. Many will agree that it would be better that the Tararuas should remain as they are, to be visited only by those who can be trusted to enjoy the rapture of wandering in the sylvan wilderness wtnout abusing the privilege, than that it should be exposed to uncontrolled desecration. On the other hand public sentiment would be strong.y opposed to the idea of making the Tararuas a dose preserve for a privileged few. As the population of the Wellington district increases the demand for space for recreation will expand commensui ately. The Tararua region not only provides a variety of scenic attractions but also facilities for winter sports, the possibilities of which, having already been tested, are beginning to be appreciated as a valuable asset for the Wellington public. With these possibilities in view the demand for easier access for the many is felt to be justified. Hence the question resolves itself into a single issue. Is it possible to make the Tararuas a national park.and improve its accessibility to the general public without exposing the beauty oi. the primeval forest to the risk of conscienceless vandalism or senous damage by fire? It ought to be. Strict control would be necessary, and this would be more effective if those who. now object to the proposal were to cp-operate with the authorities in enforcing the necessary rules and regulations. The conference about to be he.d should take the long view that sooner or later the demand for easier access will become too insistent to be resisted, and should now consider how the new situation ought to be controlled.