FORESTS AND BIRDS PROTECTION SOCIETY MEETS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1914, Page 8

FORESTS AND BIRDS PROTECTION SOCIETY MEETS

GOOD WORK IN HAND. Although it has been established only a short time the New Zealand Forest and Bird Protection Society has already undertaken important work. Members of the council of the society are throwing considerable enthusiasm into their work, which is meeting with encouraging support. A meeting of the council was held yesterday afternoon, Mr. L. O. H. Tripp in the chair, and amongst those present was the lion, organising secretary, Mr. 11. G. Ell, M.P. Sir _ Walter Buchanan forwarded a donation of £10 and wished the society every success. Cheques for similar amounts were also received from Professor Macmillian Brown and Mr. A. S.; G. Carlyon. All three were elected life members of the society. In a covering letter Mr, Carlyon gave some very interesting information concerning the preservation of about 200 acres of forest situated on his property in Hawkes Bay, on which there were at present numbers of tuis, kakas, and other native birds. Mr. Ell reported that he had sent about 300 copies of the society's prospectus, covering the whole of the Dominion. Copies had als-o been sent to 107 newspapers in the Dominion, who had responded by rendering material help in making the objects of the society more widely known. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Liverpool notified their acceptance of the positions of patron and patroness respectively. The Palmerston North Philosophical Institute outlined a proposal to increase the area of the Tongariro National Park -by embracing the forest in the vicinity. It .was resolved to communicate with ■the Prime- Minister in support of the proposal. It was reported that the chairman of the Pahiatua, County Council had been written to, asking him if the council would be willing to take in exchange for the gravel reserve in Makuri Valley, on which some beautiful forest was growing, certain^ other land, in order that the forest might be permanently set aside. It was reported that the Railway Department had permitted a fire which, started for the purpose of burning off the vegetation near the railway line, had spread into the bush in the Kai-iwi scenic reserve, doing a considerable amount of damage. Mr. Hiley, General Manager of the New Zealand Railways, had been written to in the matter, and lie had replied stating that he was making enquiries.