The Hawera Star TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1935. EGMONT PARK BOARD.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 5 March 1935, Page 4

The Hawera Star

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1935. EGMONT PARK BOARD.

Delivered every evening by 5 o clock in Hawera, Manaia, Kaupokonui. Otakeho. Oeo, Pihama, Opunake. Eltham, Ngaere, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna. Te Kiri. Mahoe, Lowgarth, Manutabi, Kakaramea, Alton. Harleyviile. Patea, Wbenua knra, Waverley, Mokoia, W hakamara Ohangai. Meremere, Fraser Road and Ararat*.

It. will come as a surprise to the general public of Taranaki to learn from the report of yesterday’s discussion at the meeting of the Egmont iMational Park Board that the finances of the board are in a precarious state. The public might be excused for imagining that such a well known landmark, public reserve and tourist resort as Egmont was particularly well eared for by the Government.' It is generally understood that three committees, representative of the South, East and North environs of the mountain, are entrusted with the work of preserving the natural beauties of the forest and mountain and provided with the wherewithal for maintaining and improving the amenities offered visitors. Superimposed on these three bodies is the National Park Board, in which is vested responsibility for coordinating the work of the three committees, where that is possible, and upon which devolves responsibility for looking after the mountain park as a whole. The National Park Board, however, finds itself in the unenviable position of having no stable income sufficient to give it funds for pvoper supervision of the whole of the reserve. Local bodies in Taranaki make grants to their representative committees and a certain amount of revenue- is obtained from tourist traffic, but this is not, apparently, sufficient to give the National Park Board a sound working margin over and above the needs of the committees. There is a good deal to be said for the argument raised yesterday

that the board should*“riot be required to go “hat in hand to the local bodies every time it is in need of funds; and the need for . the services of regular rangers be- . comes at once apparent in the light of the chairman’s statement that “though there may be parts of the mountain where untold damage has been done by the recent floods,” the board is not. in a position to obtain information on that score. The suggestion has been made that the Highways Board should take over responsibility for the maintenance of the mountain roads, but in view of the. statements made at the meeting by members who have previously explored that possibility, the prospect of obtaining assistance from that quarter are not encouraging. It was further suggested yesterday that a rate should be levied upon the boroughs, town boards and counties which draw their water supplies from the mountain. The chairman, Mr W. C. Weston, has calculated that a levy of l-30th of a penny in tHe £of the capital value of 'the contiguous local bodies would give the board an annual income of £1307. The only other means of ensuring a steady annual income appears to be by Government grant. The prospect of a whole province like Taranaki going to the Government for assistance would not, in ordinary circumstances, be a pleasing one, but in this instance there are very special reasons why the community should be able to look forward to receiving Government assistance. Of course, the Government can reply that there always are “special reasons” for such appli cations, but in this instance it has to be remembered that the local bodies are not asking for something for themselves. It is true that the mountain has a value to urban areas as a reservoir upon which they draw for town water supply, but as long as the local bodies pay for their own pipelines and water services they discharge any obligation they owe in that connection. If a mountain resort and a national forest, has any national value, its proper maintenance as a reserve is a national responsibility. From some points of view the State is indebted to the enthusiasm of Taranaki people who have spent their own money, as individuals as well as local bodies, to, popularise the mountain. Before the urb a n rate-payers of Taranaki undertake to saddle themselves with a local rate to provide the wherewithal for the maintenance and development of Egmont as a national reserve, the Government should be asked to show reason why this particular mountain area should be made the responsibility of the ratepayers of Hawera and Eltham (and all the other Taranaki towns) any more than Temuka, Timaru arid Waimate in South Canterbury should be burdened with the cost of upkeep of Mount Cook as a national resort and tourist attraction.