DOMINION’S SCENERY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 45, 22 January 1926, Page 8

DOMINION’S SCENERY.

PEOPLE’S SACRED TRUST.. HON. PEMBER REEVES’ PLEA. NELSON, Jan. 20. Hon.. Pember Reeves, interviewed to-day, said: “Erom the moment I landed, or before I landed, until yesterday in Nelson, I have hardly passed a day without seeing something that in any part of the world would be called fine scenery. Take your own town, for example. Now, yesterday, twice I olimbed up a little way, once to the Cawthron institute and again up Richardson street above Washington Valley, and I can only say that the views from both these places, in their extent, the outline of distant mountains and the sweep of the bay, the brilliant sunshine, the rich colouring of the sea and the browns, yellows and greens of the land, equalled the finest views in Italy or Greece. I may say that for combined wild forest scenery, glorious outline of hills and mountains, and great background of ice and snow, I consider it unsurpassed in the world. I do not say that carelessly. I consider it unsurpassed in the world. I can say almost as much for Lake Manapouri in Southland.” Mr Reeves said that if it were possible to make the beauties of New Zealand known in England, Europe and America among the classes able to afford the longer journey, he considered there was no doubt the number of tourists to this country would be doubled or trebled. The people of New Zealand ought to regard the preservation of the scenic loveliness of this country as a sacred trust. The beautiful scenes of these islands were not only a national asset; it was not too much to say they aro one of the possessions of the world, and to destroy them ought to be regarded as sacrilege. There was no denying that a good deal of forest scenery had been destroyed, and some of it had been marred recklessly and without any economic advantage.