PUKETITIRI BUSH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 162, 28 June 1930, Page 7

PUKETITIRI BUSH

PRESERVATION EFFORTS FORESTRY LEAGUE’S SUPPORT. Wellington, June st Some concern is felt at the possible disappearance of tha fine forest: at Puketitiri,, Hawke’s Bay district, and efforts are to be made to secure a sufficient sum by public subscriptions to secure an area large enough for reservation purposes. The question arose in the report of the New Zealand Forestry League at the annual meeting to-night, at which Mr James Deans presided over a gathering of about 30, including officers of the forest service.

The annual report expressed gratification at the reduction of goats on Mt. Egniont, and that it had been made illegal to allow domesticated goats to enter the park. It also appreciated the efforts which had succeeded in simulating goats and sheep from Kapiti Island, and for what had been done in planting suitable trees to provide food for birds. The agitation to save the Puketitiri forest had been heartily supported, stated the report. The forest was purchased by the State Forest Service as a business venture. Although the director of the service had agreed to release it on repayment of the amount expended on it, no way of raising the money had yet been found Efforts were being made to induce the public to subscribe a sufficient sum to secure an area worthy of using. Some 60 acres had been let for milling, and unless something more was done there was a grave danger of this valuable forest being destroyed. Unless public opinion was kept alive, there was no guarantee that politicians would continue new forestry as essential to the welfare of the Dominion. The report was adopted. An address on tho deer menace was given by Mr C. M. Smith, chief inspector of the forest service, who said itl should bo possible for forestry and proper sportsmanship to go hand in hand. Perhaps the menace was most serious in the district between Rotorua and Waikaremoana where there were 400,000 acres of State and private plantations. It was of little use starting plantations until deer had been cleared out. Red deer were numerous in Marlborough and Nelson and in Westland deer were so numerous that one man culled out 1100 last year while in Tapanui they had been killing 150 a month without making much impression. They were also numerous on Stewart Island, where in many places native vegetation had been totally destroyed. Mr A. Leigh Hunt also emphasised the- need for reducing the deer population, as enormous damage was being done. He hoped the public would come forward and support the league’s work. The following council was elected: Messrs E. Phillips Turner, A. L. Hunt, A. Seed, A. C. Atkinson, F. S. Pope, and D. R. Hoggard.