Manawatu Daily Times Preserving a Great Heritage

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6536, 18 February 1928, Page 8

Manawatu Daily Times Preserving a Great Heritage

One good service which the Director of Kew Gardens, Dr. Hill, has done for the Dominion is to call pointed attention to some of the follies committed by those well-meaning but not very intelligent persons who have charge of some of our national parks. It is really a great pity that Dr. Hill could not have spent some months in the Dpminion instead of only a few weeks, not only that he might obtain more knowledge of our flora, but that he might repeat in every centre his admonitions about the duty of preserving the natural forest 'A national park, he, said, should be “ a conservatory of indigenous shrubs, ferns, trees, and flowers, and should not be spoiled by the introduction of foreign elements.” The introduction of heather into the Tongariro Park he condemned, and it is interesting to note that Dr. Hill says it is rapidly increasing and must in time take possession. Apparently nothing can be done to remedy this mistake, which will ultimately alter the whole character of the flora in the park. The community, however, can learn from this blunder. This magnificent park—one of the grandest in the Southern Hemisphere—has suffered much from the ignorance of the politicians and the curious mentality of the people into whose hands its care has been placed. Apparently successive Governments have been too short-sighted to see its glories and to realize how great a treasure lay so near their doors, and they have been only too glad to rid themselves of any responsibility in its development and administration. The introduction of heather in a foolish attempt to mllke the Tongariro Park a cheap edition of the game preserves of the Old Land was strongly but ineffectually resisted by those who had a sincere love for our native flora and a clear vision of the great boon the park would be to the people of the Dominion. Prominent among those who strenuously resisted this policy which Dr. Hill now condemns was Mr. C. T. Salmon, of Palmerston North, and not only in this have his able protests been upheld but his very strong objections to the suggested motor reading of the park, recently published in these columns, have been also supported by the distinguished visitor. Dr. Hill is just as emphatic in his warning against the danger and folly of spoiling the reserves with too much reading as he against the introduction of heather. Along the margin of the roads travel hosts of foreign weeds and before long they invade the reserves at a hundred points. Then it is a case of the survival of the fittest, and the glory of our native bush is destroyed by these ruthless invaders. Such warnings from so distinguished a scientist have come too late to stop the inroads of the heather, but they may help to prevent those in control of our reserves from committing some of the other follies which they have been contemplating of late.

A grass fire in Main street east was tlio cause of the brigade turning out at one o’clock ycstorcly. On arriving at the scene, however, it was found that the old hose reel at the Terrace End station which has not boon used for the past three years, had boon requisitioned to quell the outbreak. An echo of the Bolton v Bolton and Hewitt divorce proceedings was heard in the Supreme Court in Palmerston North yesterday, when the Hon. Mr Justice Ostler mentioned that he had inquired into the question of -whether he could make co-respondent pay all the costs. Ho could find no authority for such a procedure. All he could do was to make Hewitt pay his own | costs.

Edward George McDougall, engineer of Palmerston North, secured his discharge from bankruptcy at the Supreme Court yesterday.. An application for discharge by Bhana Jasmct was adjourned for 12 months. Travellers along the Palmerston North-Wanganui route have been compelled to travel some five to six additional miles as the result of that section of the main highway being closed to traffic. At about four o’clock yesterday afternoon the Palmerston North railway nUirp received word that a grass fire was raging at the Manawatu bridge ‘ gang was quickly despatched to deal with the outbreak, 1 which fortunately was not of serious dimensions.