BARTON'S BUSH

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1929, Page 16

BARTON'S BUSH

•HERETAUNGA PROPERTY

'STATE URGED TO BUT IT

'■','.'X suggestion that7the Government Miould purchase-the Barton Estate;: at Seretaunga- for scenery preservation purposes was advanced by.the member '•£"■.- "Wairarapa. (Colonel T. W;. M'Donald) in the House of Representatives ■yesterday. .■

• The property,' said Colonel M'Donald, was one that should not be allowed to go into private hands in any circumstances, and it should not be allowed to be' destroyed.. ■: . ■

/The Hon.' W. Downie Stewart (Dun«din. West): "The member for the" district might buy-it." " As the Hon. T. M. Wilford, at whom Mr. Stewart was glancing when he Upoke,: evidently took Mr. Stewart's remark to refer to himself, he pointed ;with his pen over his shoulder, at Colonel M'Donald,. and said, "He is ;4he member for the district."

; Colonel. M'Donald (to Mr. Stewart).: *cHe might-do it if.he were, in' the Srianeial position, of the ex-Mmister of Finance." '■'; "'■■■'

' /The Chairman of Committees (Mr. S. }fi ; ' Smith): "Order, order!' The hotf. member is not in order in discussing the financial position of the ex-Minis tor of ■JFinanee." . -' i ;: - ■ '

: : Colonel M.'Donald also urged; the Govf«rnment to see that the old blockhouse rinear Quin's Post, at Upper Hutt, was preserved, ,ao that future generations lanight know what an important link it Constitutedwitlr- the. past 'history of the jeountry. • . -..■• -:...' ■ .

Mr. W. H.. Field; (Reform, Otaki) supported the request in regard to the Barton Estate. He said that many years ago he had urged that the "property •should be taken; over,'and he knew that ::Mr. Wilfora haa/donetHo same. The property should be acquired. Mr. G. B. Sykes (Reform, Masterton) «aid there was. not much native bush around; Wellington, and; Barton's Bush ;was one; of the last remaining areas that shonld'be acquired by the Government ana preserved. He saia he believed the blockhouse at Upper Hutt had been renovated, but he joined with M'Donaia in stressing the need lor. preserving" it iorall time. ■.. C.? loJ ie} M'D6riald said that, probably if it_h«d not been .for the blockhouse, •T r" J ■ " svould not be th them; today, for he unders'tooa Mr. Sykes's pother on more than one occasion had kad to take shelter intit. ; . TEe Minister in Charge of f the Hon. G. W. Forbes) saia he would have ■inquiries^made to see what could be |done with regard to Barton's Bush, and the blockhouse.