NATIVE BUSH

Evening Star, Issue 23845, 27 March 1941, Page 12

NATIVE BUSH

PROTECTION SOCIETY MEETING TREES AT WHARE FLAT Mr Donald M'Quilkan, a resident of Whare Flat who is well known to many trampers for his ready hospitality, gave an interesting address to the Otago Native Bush Protection Society on the native bush in the vicinity of Whare Flat.

Jn its primitive state, before white men began to cut and l burn the bush, it covered Flagstaff -and descended to the harbour’s edge, said Mr M'Quilkan. He referred to trees of great age in tlie valleys near Wbare Flat, and made special mention of the kowhai, which, he said, should be Tsew Zealand’s national flower. It was beautiful in bloom, in seeding, and. when it was old. In answer to a question concerning the native birds still found at. Wbare Flat. Mr M’Quilkan said that bellbirds and tuis were plentiful, but that there were no native parakeets. CREEK POLLUTED. It was brought before the notice of the meeting that School Creek, which runs behind the Ross Creek reservoir through beautiful native bush, had been polluted, and that the stench from the creek turned away many people who formerly camped on its banks. It was alleged that refuse was finding its way into the creek, thus causing the pollution. This state of affairs bad' arisen once before, it was stated, and the trouble had recurred. It was decided to bring the matter before the notice of the City Conn-