EGMONT NATIONAL PARK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 31 August 1925, Page 4

EGMONT NATIONAL PARK.

THE BOARD AND ITS WORK. MEMORANDUM FOR MINISTER. The Star’s Parliamentary reporter forwards a copy of the memorandum left with the Prime Minister by thd deputation from the Egmont National Park Board, which waited on him last week to ask for assistance, in exploiting tlie attractions of the mountain. ~We publish some extracts of general interest. The board was originally constituted by the Egmont National Park'Act, 1900 (which lias been replaced by the Egmont National Park Act, 1924), and' exercised its functions for 24 years. The area controlled by the board ii 78,992 acres. . During the 24 years of the life of the board there have been created and provided feilities for tourists estimated at the following figures: North Area £ Main track, 340 chains .. 6000 Hostel expenditure ............ 6000 Cottages, etc . 750 South Area. Main track, 300 chains 4500 Hostel expenditure 2000 Cottages 800 East Area. J ; Track 200 Cottages . 200 West (Kahui) House. £ r » ck -100 Cottage .50 General tracks, clearings, etc. . 1000 * £21,600 Government subsidies during the whole period' have amounted to £5700, £llOO °P eu an<^s probably about Thy North Hostel was erected by trustees for a committee representing the guarantors, numbering 50, who stand behind a bank overdraft of about £4OOO, and the business i s run by that committee in harmony with the. statutory North Committee of the board. These two committees are practically identical in personnel. The South Committee lets its hostelat a rental amounting to £126 11s to its custodian, and divides the (park, fees equally with him, the custodian collecting thy revenue and accounting. The South Committee has an"overdraffc of £383, guaranteed by four members and one ex-member of that..(committee..

The tourist traffic to the mountain over a period from 1919„ to March 31, 1925, is indicated- by the park and house and cottage fees shown by the balance-sheets to have been collected. These avrage over the last few years about £450 North and £SOO South, and small sums East and West. The tolls of both North and South are: Eof motor-cars from 2s 6d for an ordinary 1 touring car upwards for large* vehicles, and for each individual Is. These average over the last few years in the last four •or five years would thus account for from i 70*00 to 8000 visitors annually. The hostel service at both North and South resorts is of a really good hotel standard. It will thus be seen . that, while the Government, tourist resorts have beeb absorbing very large amounts of public money, and in most cases,., it is understood, have not been paying their way, on Mt. Egmont sthere have existed, and still exist, two affording residential facilities for tourists, and also facilities fer families and! parties desiring more economical quarters and doing their own catering; and that this service, ineliiting the formation and, maintenance of roads and tracks, has taxed the .public purse to the extent only of £5710, representing an average cf £236 a ybar, the cost of the service,, in so far as it has not paid for itself, having bear provided by public subscription and- on. the crediS of .public spirited citizens within the

province of Taranaki. . . .. , If the cost of the eigbV-miies of main! motor tracks and of tte other tracks . in the area is taken irto account, it will be seen that this resort, which isi one of New Zealand’s rational assets, has been maintained for.the benefit- of the public of New Zeaknd' by people 1 of Taranaki entirely wilhout cost td> the country. . .*«> In the south the presefit hostel buildings have outlived their usefulness and are quite inadequate for tie traffic and business that are developing. It is proposed that the sum 0f‘'27500 should! be borrowed for the buildhg of a new 1 hostel. It is considered by. the hoard that there will be no difficulty in making the new building pay ts ■way and meet interest and sinking, fund. The sum of £4oo<l has been piovidedi fot improving and tar-sealing fie southern.-, track. This will ensure tlif track being put in permanently goodorder, and effecting a considerable saving in maintenance. . \\ . ' Afforestation. —The board ias about 300 acres on the north slops of the ranges, which is now leased,to neighbouring farmers, and whichas eminently suitable for tree planting. The hoard believes that it will profe a good investment to start, as soon aspossibld with planting of this land wth conU mercial trees, and with that : u>'.ject in view has provided the. suin' of ;2000 in’ its estimates. j The board expressed its desinf to> se- - cure authority for tlie raising-of the’ . first item in its list —£7000 forthe^ remaking of the northern trackywhich, it is stated, is becoming too havy a burden for the board to carry.j