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FOREST RESERVES AND DEER.

Nature provided a mighty rain-col-lector and distributor in the forest-clad backbone range of the North Island. But man, unheeding the warning of. older countries, is slowly but steadily clearing the timber — often on perfectly useless country — by means of the careless match of the explorer and the outlying settler's attempt to grow grass on country which ought in the interest of the commonwealth to be left in its virgin roughness for climatic purposes. Year by year the great rivers shrink in summer and rush down in still mightier winter torrents, scattering shingle aad desolation before them as the vegetation which pent up and slowly distributed the rainfall on the mountains is cleared away. How long are we to go on with this folly ? The Tararua and Ruahine Ranges should be most jealously guarded as forest reserves in the publio interest, as nature's provision to colleot and regulate our rainfall, a crown of glory to tile North Island and a safeguard for and againat a rainy day. How these forest-mountain reserves canbe made profitable as wellaß useful is a question worthy of study. In the Old World deer-forests are of great value. Why not turn our mountain ranges into huge reserves well stocked with deer and game? The red deer have thriven wonderfully wherever herds have been established and are now to be found in large numbers in the .rough country on the east coast of Wairarapa, on the mountain ranges in Otago, and in the Nelson district. Few colonists nowadays recognise the debt of gratitude we owe to his Royal Highness the late Prince Cou&ort, for the trouble he took in sending these noble animals out to this colony. Perhaps it would be of interest to give a short account of how and when they were introduced. On the 6th of July, 1862, the good ship Triton arrived in Wellington after a passage of 127 days, having started from London \rith a red deer stag and two hinds, shipped through Mr. Morrison, the agent for the Government of New Zealand in London, as a present from the late Prince Consort consigned to the late Dr. Featherston, the then Superintendent of Wellington Province. One of the hinds died on the voyage and the pair landed were kept for some time in a stable on the reclaimed land, opposite Barrett's Hotel. Dr. Featherston accepted an offer from Mr. Carter, M.H.R. for Wairarapa, to take them up to his run at his own expense and liberate them. The late Mr. Hastwell undertook the work of -carting them over the Rimutaka, and left them in charge of Mr. Robinson at Mr. Carter's station, where they were kept in oonfinment for some two or three months and then liberated on the run early in 1863. The settlers protected thorn till a small herd was established, the nuoleus of the large herds whioh now roam over the East Coast ranges and gladden the heart -of many a descendant of Old England's merrio woodcraftsmen.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18950831.2.62

Bibliographic details

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 54, 31 August 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

Word Count
501

FOREST RESERVES AND DEER. Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 54, 31 August 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOREST RESERVES AND DEER. Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 54, 31 August 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)