Rotokare Domain Board.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4285, 21 July 1899, Page 2

Rotokare Domain Board.

On Wednesday the members of the Borough Council, sitting as the above board, received a report from a sabcommittee appointed. The committee set out that they had considered }he matter of offering for lease of part of Kotokare Reserve and leoommended that the board only offer tor lease subsection No. 8 (20 acres). Owing to the process of deforestation that is rapidly taking place throughout the province, the committee concluded that in the near future a retreat suoh as that given by the forest around. the lake will be much sought and appreciated by the inhabitants of Hawera and other centres of population They considered it the duty of looal bodies possessing reserves of this nature to conserve the forest and plant forest trees for climatic and economic reasons. The committee also recommended that steps be taken to induce the County Council to put the road beside the lake in f ait order for wheel traffic. It was also suggested that before calling tenders for leasing that Parliament be asked to pass a j bill enabling the board to grant the proposed lessee or lessees compensation for improvement. The Mayor said if they leased the pro fiortiori as shown in the plan and only eate a belt of 10 chains that belt would die out, i nd as the whole of the province is being denuded of its bush, it would be bad policy from every point of view to lease the land for felling. They could get •nough revenue from the one section for all practical purposes. He concluded the forest on the reserve would in time become a most important possession. In time it would become one of the most pleasant tourist resorts in the distriot whereas if it was leased the bush would be cleared and one of the most charming beauty spots completely lost. The reason for delay in calling for tenders for lease of the other portion was that they could not legally be authorised by the Publio Reserves Act to pay losses for improvements at the end of the term, and apeoial legislation was required. If this were done at once by the borough solicitor there should be no difficulty in getting the Bill through the House this session and no time would be loßt. In reply to Gr Bobbins, The Mayor said the cost should not exceed two guineas. Or Bobbins, who seconded, agreed with the remarks of the Mayor and thought the suggestions of the committee were valuable in that the domain would be a considerable tourists' attraction in time to come. In regard to legislation there was no time to lose if it were to be put through this session,

Cr. Bartlett also agreed that reserving the bush as suggested was a good idea. Adoption agreed. The Board adjourned.