TO SAVE KAPITI

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 55, 7 March 1922, Page 4

TO SAVE KAPITI

FENCING ESSENTIAL

RECOMMENDATIONS TO MINISTER

GENERAL APPROVAL EXPRESSED,

Steps which, in the opinion of the Advisory Committee, it is necessary for tlie Lands Department to take if the bird life and tree life on Kapiti Island are to be safeguarded were discussed by the committee with the Minister of Lands (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) yesterday afternoon. Mr. Guthne indicated in his reply that he was in sympathy with practically all the (-ro posals. At the same time he took advantage of the opportunity to say that, there were people who were • "fond of their pens writing silly nonsense," about Kapiti Island. The recommendation of the committee ■were :—

(1) That the 54 acres 3 roods 28 perches acquired by the Grown out of Waiorua-Kapiti IB 2A should be partitioned and that the Crown's interests should, if possible, be apportioned at the southern end of the block; further, that Mrs. D'Atii, being the sole nonseller in Rangitira-Kapiti 4, No. 4, be approached with a view to arranging an exchange of her interest, consisting of; 16^ acres, for a similar area in WaioruaKapiti IB 2A.

(2) That as soon as the necesaary partitions are carried out a fence be erected between the Crown land and the Native land on the Island.

(3) That Mrs. Webber and the other owners of sheep depasturing on Crown land bo given immediate notice to remove same, failing the owners doing this before 30th April, the 'Crown will take action under the Impounding Act, 1908. (4) That the whole of the Crown Lands on the Island be kept free of stock for all time with a view to encouraging the regeneration of national vegetation. (5) That the provisions, contained in Section 34 of the Land Act, 1908, shall apply to Kapiti Island; that all permits issued to persons visiting the Island shall be endorsed with the provisions of this section, and that attention be drawn to the penalties imposed by section 34 by public notices exhibited at the railway stations which are used by persons going to the Island, and also at the ■places where the launches depart for the Island, and at all the landing places on the Island.

l!(6) That to go thoroughly into the question it is necessary that the committee should visit "the Island m the near future, and thus cain" an actual knowledge of the conditions, to enable the matter to be> more satisfactory dealt with. . ■ . MORE SHOULD BE DONE. *'. Mr. W. H. FTeld, member for Otaki, and a, member of the advisory committee, ,Ln introducing the deputation, said |he . Jelt that more should be done to protect the bM and toee life on the ■Island. He personally., had always felt that at the beginning, when there was valuable grass available, the Government should have stocked the land lightly with sheep, and thereby have earned enough to pay for the Island. Tho object of the deputation was to lay before the Minister the resolutions adopted by the board in the hope that 'he would carry them into effect. The first object should be to protect every bird and tree on the Island, and, if .possible, to add to them. Unless action' was taken the goats and sheep would • i-uin the island. It would have been better for. the Government to have grazed sheep themselves at -the start than to have allowed, as it was to-day, other people to do it. TRUSTING' THE COMMITTEE.

The Minister suggested that before other members of the committee spoke he should cay a. few words. There had been, he said, several statements, letters, and paragraphs about Kapiti of late, and the last had stated that "the Lands Department was wool-gathering." He did not know whether that was a, fact or not, but he did know that he had appointed an advisory committee which he could trust to bring to him knowledge which, owing&o pressure of business, he would have no chance of gaining for himself. The committee was now before liim, ' and he had an opportunity of judging the value of its recommendations. On 6th February the committee had a meeting and passed certain recommendations which were to be laid before him by a deputation. Incidentally he endorsed a Temark of Mr. Field to the effect that the latter had, in season and out of season, brought before the Government the needs of Kapiti Island. Of course, on a subject guch as that, men were bound to differ in their opinions as to ways and means, but they were as one as to the object. Mr. Field thought that because there was so much, fine grass land the Department ought to have taken advantage of it and have earned money to pay for improving the island. That was similar to a recommendation he (the Minister) had made in connection with a kauri forest, but in the case of the kauri forest the grass land lay around the timber, while in Kapiti the open land was in the middle of, the island. The northern end of the island was Maori land, and, although some twelve months ago,it had been suggested that there was a chance to buy out some of the interests there, he understood that nothing could be done in the meantime.

THE FIRST STEP. 5 HU idea was- that the first step should be to fence the Native land and serve notice on the owners of the northern part of the island that they must keep their stock off the Crown land. If the owners did' not keep stock from straying the Government must take the legal steps to kill it. A strong fight had been put up by the family to retain their land because it was "the home of their ancestors. There was a feeling that ancestral land, must not be unduly interfered with, and he did not think there would be a possible chance of getting through Parliament a. Bill to take the land. He thought, however, that it might be possible to induce the remaining owner in the other part of the island to exchange the land for some, in the north. It would be extremely useful to have the private owners in the one area, for then visitors could be prevented from having the rnn of the island. Mr. Guthrie read a letter he had recently received from two people whose opinions he held' of value. • They stated that it was obvious that the stock were destroying the young trees. The Minister a-leo said that there ;' could be no question that the opossums. were doing damage altogether beyond; ! their value. ! NO NEGLECT. There had been no neglect, said the Minister finally, on the part of the advisory committee or on the part of the Lands Department. There was a caretaker on the, island, and the files were full of correspondence between that ofiicer and the Department. There were, however, a few people, ,fond of their pens, who were writing silly, nonsense about the matter. One man hud hc2ii especially silly, and if he expected that -the Minister or the Department- wouid pa.y attention to his effusions lie was mistaken.

Mr. Field explained that while he had

advocated that stock should have been grazed on the island originally, he was. just as keen as anyone else now that the island should kept clear of sheep and goats.

The chairman, of 'the committee (Mr. M'Clure) said.- the Department had acquired over 50 acres of the northern portion of the island and was in. treaty for another 18 acres. There was another 16 acres, further south, privately owned. The Minister said the great thing was to get the Governments part of the island cut right off from the Native land. Dr. L, Cockayne, speaking of ( the stock on the island, illustrated his point by saying that if the sheep were removed from the NoTth Island of New Zealand the whole area would be covered again with forest in 100 years. If stock were kept off Kapiti and seeds of fireresisting trees like the fuchsia- planted the island would quickly be reafforested. Professor Kirk expressed the opinion that opossums should be removed entirely from Kapiti Island. Mr. E. Phillips-Turner supported the remarks of Dr. Cockayne. Mr. Charles Gray, who recently visited the island, expressed the opinion that first the fencing should be done, then the stock should be cleared out, and, finally, the planting suggested by Dr. Cockayne should be done. A VISIT 01? INSPECTION. i It was generally agreed that it would be desirable to clean the rabbits out of a- small island off the main island.

The Minister said he would be pleased if the board would, as suggested by Professor 'sCirk, draw up regulations for fire prevention on the island. Practically all the recommendations of the board, he added, had been carried out or were vnder way.

It was decided to arrange, if possible, for the board and the Minister to visit the islr'.id on Saturday week.