A PUBLIC RIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1932, Page 5

A PUBLIC RIGHT

SOUNDS FOKESHOEES

NATIONAL PARK IDEA

(By the New Zealand Forestry

League.)

As the Marlborough Sounds arc becoming increasingly a, Wellington playground, Wellington should he intercstod in the proposal" to proclaim '*> Sounds National Park with an administering board. The Sounds represent beauty of tho wators, beauty of th» forested heights (where deforestation has not despoiled them), and beauty of the intervoniug foreshore. . Between the hills and the sea, these foreshores nr« of peculiar importance. They may even bp rogardod as the strategical key to any uso of the Sounds, whether for, plonsuro-or profit. They, are important aliko to landowner and to public. It has come to bo a principle that the Crown, in disposing of lariS to private pooplo, shall reserve foreshore (trips. Public opinion condemns, th« Crown where it has failed to make such, public reservation. Public1 opinion would still more bitterly condemn th« Crown (or any other public anthority) if, for no good, reason, it alienated foresboro reservations once made. This matter has been fought out on busy harbour fronts, on estuariesyand on tha shores of lakes of scenic importance; and the lake-side.aspect,of it is likely, to be heard of" again. The Marlborough Sounds also have their- foreshor* problem, and though it soems to •be shaping for settlement,in a reasonable administrative spirit, its existence must not be ignored. ENCROACHMENTS BY SETTLEBS. Statements made at a recent conference at which Sounds settlers were represented suggest that the settlers, somo of whom occupy foreshore reserves and hay« built theroon residences and other structures, have been- satisfied with the administration of the .Lands Department and of, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. P. E. Wilkinspn. They asked the conference, whether the creation of a Sounds National Park Board would put them in any worse) position. ' Supporters of the Park mover m«nt replied generally to the effect. that the settlers' .position ;would b« met in so far as public interest permits., . . Mr. Wilkinson,, who attended- as- * departmental officer without any sec-1 tional bias, said that if a Park Board was set up, the Under-Secretary •of Lands and he would be prepared to recommend settler-representation on it. "In the proposed park area (ho stated) there was 800 miles of foreshore, or coastline, and, of this, 510 inilea of coastline represented road reserves." People were not entitled to erect buildIngs on the road reserves or to camp nn them without proper authority. From the ensuing discussion it seemed that, •whether a Park Board i» created or not, the problem presented by these encroachments on reserves^ will soon have to be put on a "proper tluthority" basis, probably by the occupiert taking out licences ito occupy Jhe .encroachments, licences revocable on. notice being given. Whether in .Welling' ton City, in a county, or in the Sounds,encroachments cannot be'allowed to continue loosely and irregularly. It has been urged, however,, that,* where flat land is scarce, foreshore flats are of special importance, and that the use (but not ownership) N>fi foreshore reserves.may well be continued- (under licence) by adjoining owners who are in the best position to use them, so long as no impediment is created to- public use of reserves if and when"such- public use arises. ■ . ~ ■.■■■• •: > • - i:<K<-' - ... NOT TOR SUB-LETTING; While some of the settlers seemed td ho content with that principle, others, in their demands, plainly transgressed it. They suggested a right not .merely of temporary occupation on licence, but a right to sub-let. Tor instance, the following passage occurs in a Press report of the conference: — Mr. Un Hamilton asked, if » licence were granted to a settler, would he be able to sublet portions of tlie reserve lor week-end cottages, -etc. . " Mr. Wilkinson: "You want to makerevenu* out of the reserves!" ■■■<■■■■ .-i . Mr. Hamilton: "Yes; it has been warded •s a right for many years." ' c ,-, :• Mr Wilkinson: "I should say decidedly no. A Voice: "Then ifa not a falr.ttling." Mr. Wilkinson pointed out that the settler* bad taken up their land knowing that the frontage was reserved, and therefore had no legal rights to the reserve at all. However, fcehad no doubt that in special cases the Department would be prepared to meet the settlers. The above exchange sufficiently indicates the sort of problem that exists and which may be inherited bythe proposed Sounds National Park Board. Limited occupation rights are one thing, and sub-letting for private profit is another. Neither a Government Department nor a board can escape responsibility in such an issue. While the) peculiar importance of. foreshores in Sounds topography may give landowners a special claim, it is a moral' and not a legal claim, and may be indulged subject always to the publio interest. The stipulation that a .licence to occupy at a nominal rental should be subject to protection of bush oh reserve*, was made by the president of the Marlborough Progress League, Mr. W. T. Churchward. Scenic reserves wera also mentioned, and Mr. Wilkinson stated that camp sites on these might be let "for a week or so." Also, "the road reserves would not be let. as camping sites, unless the camper got the permission of the adjoining settler.'* Mr. Churchward remarked that the proposed board's funds "would come from fees, licences, tenancies, and so on, and it would, doubtless, be a pretty hard-up body in the early stages of its existence.*' ■: ' . ■•<.,. \' ': :'. ■■ To sum vp —the idea of a Sound* National Park is intrinsically'good, but its realisation will depend upon the pok icy and administration of the board. ■ Neither private profit nor board profit should be sought at the expense of; th« natural asset or of "the remaining bush. The board will have to consider not only the settlors but public opinion, and its success will be proportionate *o its breadth of viow.