"UNIQUE IN THE WORLD"

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 60, 12 March 1934, Page 8

"UNIQUE IN THE WORLD"

DOMINION'S ATTRACTIONS

(Special to the "Evening Post.") NEW PLYMOUTH, March 10. "I cannot conceive any function more thoroughly congenial to me than that which I am invited to perform," said his Excellency, "in declaring this lovely property open to the public as tho result of the beneficent bequest of the late Mr. Newton King, eventuating in a happy arrangement between' the borough and Messrs. Truby and Eliot King, as his trustees, favourable alike to both. A 'viceregal' opening seems hardly to do this reserve justice, for there is something truly regal about it, not only in its appearance and equipment, but also in its proprietorship, seeing that ever since 1542, whon'this fertile portion of the Taranaki plain was settled by my fellow West Countrymen from the Old Land, it has been owned by a 'King.'' No better lot can I wish for it than that it continue to be 'regal,' in the majesty of its unspoiled beauty and in the'deference and respect shown to it by posterity. "Pukekura Park, aided by.tho scenic background of the Empire's most lovely mountain, stands unrivalled among the municipal parks of this Dominion," his Excellency continued. "Now that it is supplemented and complemented by this unique property and tho valuable link of native bush supplied by the munificence of Mr. T. C. List and Mr: C. A. Wilkinson, M.P:, it is safe to saythat, unless the. ruthless hand of the vandal descends upon it in days to come, no scenic reserve in New. Zealand w-ill ever surpass in attractiveness that situated in this delectable valley, which in its comprehensive beauty is henceforth the property of the inhabitants of New Plymouth. MANY ADVANTAGES. "New Zealand possesses many Outstanding natural advantages for which it may well thank a beneficent Providence: its fertile soil, its almost perfect climate, its standard of health, the physique and wholesome traditions of its people, and the liitherto barelytapped wealth of its natural resources. But in two respects it is absolutely unique in the world. One is tho number, variety, and grandeur of its beauty spots within a relatively small area, and the other is its native bush which has no rival in the world. And" there is economic value as, well as aesthetic delight inherent in Nature's generous equipment. . "I make bold to utter a prophecy to the truth of which only your grandchildren can confidently testify," said his Excellency. "It is that New Zealand's main source of wealth will not be found- in sheep-Hireeding, gold mining, petroleum wells, or even dairy farming, but iv its tourist traffic, for hundreds of thousands will flock hero from all over the world to see that sunkissed land in the Pacific which Nature has most abundantly endowed with her aesthetic jewels. For every £50 that may accrue from the short-sighted felling in face of temporary economic stringency of some forest giant such as the ' great kauris of the Waipoua forest, at least a million pounds is lost to posterity in the 'permanent commercial value of the natural beautification of the Dominion, quite apart from the spiritual inspiration which its contemplation evokes in every normal civilised human being. A PIONEER TASK. "And why should not New Plymouth bo the-centre of enlightenment for this ' purpose to the whole Dominion?" his i Excellency asked, "radiating sanity and j foresight as well as a love of the beautiful, bringing to men's hearts and minds the pure happiness and mental '' peace whicii flows from contact with unspoilt Nature and an intimate know- i ledge of her incomparable treasures-. - Now Plymouth is much fitted for this much-needed pioneer task. Her children are trained in the schools to know and to love native plants and to cultivate thereby that capacity for observation which is a priceless equipment for every vocation in life. She has a sufiicient rainfall, which while promoting growth, is also some safeguard against destruction by fire, a rich, deep, porous soil, and a volcanic sub-soiL In the matter of variety of type of indigenous \ timber trees and plants sho is ideally \ situated in a geographical sense. Here I north meets south and sub-trppical and i temperate plants alike flourish in pro- ; fusion—plants characteristic of tho flora i of both islands. It is significant that i here in this generously-equipped re- j serve is to be found, close to the extreme limit of its natural habitat, the j largest, and symmetrically the most per- j feet, puriri in the Dominion, and what j tree can claim in it's durable and finegrained timber, its foliage, its flowers, j and its fruit greater all-round beauty or I utility? You have, too, tree ferns and I todeas of a size and quality which even 1 Westland would find it difficult to emu- \ late. a "I see around mo not merely native ] bush and well-trimmed English lawns, i but also fine specimens of exotic trees imported from Great Britain and elsewhere ninety years ago, tho most strik- " ing being tho great Spanish chestnut t with a lateral spread of 90ft—a truly i wonderful tree—and I can say so with 3 confidence because I have on my family \ estate the oldest and finest grove of ] Spanish chestnuts in England, contain- s ing one tree of 24ft girth at breast i height, but none with such far-spread- r ing lateral branches as yours. t "In this connection I may venture ■] to utter a word of warning, although t conscious 'that it is unnecessary 4a £o iti i

so far as your present, enlightened borough authorities are concerned. It is this: Do not on any account, and however great the temptation may be, mix up your native- and your exotic trees, even if a love of the Old Land or a pride in the 'Devon, glorious Devon.of your ancestors should stir up sentiment in favour of incursions of tbe latter into the sacred precincts of the former. If you or your children effect this promiscuous intercourse this magnificent environment of pure native bush will be for ever ruined in the eyes not only of expert botanists, but also of those who love symmetry and arboreal compatibility, and who deem Nature's primeval plan to be better even than that of the most experienced landscape gardener. PLEA FOR NATIVE BUSH. "Just as well nigh on a century ago your pioneer forefathers made English homes and clustered round English firesides amid New Zealand surroundings, so let New Zdaland native bush continue to constitute without any exotic adulterant the verdant belt of this reserve, however much you may Anglicise the area whicii it encloses. "Finally," said his Excellency, "let me exhort you to encourage the birds, and especially tho bellbirds, and other native songsters. Half the joy of country life is furnished by the delicate beauty of colour, conformation, and song of the bird's. But birds need for their, sustenance and happiness neetar_ and -berries, and if they aro to thrive and add to human joyfulness trees and plants whicii can furnish them must be adequately provided. "I now declare Brooklands "Reserve open to tho public," concluded his Excellency, "and trust that it may be a source of health, happiness, and recreation, physical, spiritual, and mental, to people of all classes and ages, belonging to both races, for many.generations to come.''