ROTORUA NATIVE GIFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17242, 19 August 1919, Page 9

ROTORUA NATIVE GIFT.

NEW STATE SCENIC RESERVE. NORTH OF LAKE ROTOITI. PRESERVING BEAUTY "SPOTS. The beauty spots fringing the shores of Cake Rotoiti, given to the Government as a scenic reserve, as announced in yesterday's Herald, lie on the northern shore of the lake, running approximately from west of Okere to the extreme eastern end of the lake. Mr. F. Earl, K.C., of Auckland, who knows the locality intimately, gives the following details of the \ area affected and the transactions, preliminary to the making of the gift:— The gift made by the Ngatipikiao tnoe, whoso lands are on the borders of Lake Rotoiti and the vicinity, is the outcome of negotiations entered into by Sir Francis Bell with them about six months ago. Sir Francis being Minister in Charge of Scenery Preservation was impressed with the necessity for saving from destruction by fire and the vandalism* of trippers tho many beautiful bays and wooded promontories of this lake. Moreover it had been ascertained that some of these beauty spots were likely to be included in alienations by way of lease or sale to Europeans, who I would have no compunction concerning the destruction of the bush, if by that means the area available for grass could be extended. The ordinary tourist launch trips frequently resulted in damaging fires, and I almost always in additions to a rapidly increasing accumulation of jam tins, bottles, and other signs of progress on the picturesque little beaches which have been so much admired. These, are principally on the northern shores of the lake. It was suggested, at a conference held by the Minister with the. natives at their principal settlement that a selected number of these areas should be roughly surveyed and shown on a plan : that they should he then treated as a scenic reserve; that they should be vested in the Government, and that they should be controlled and managed by a board of which a Government official should bo chairman and tho other members nominated by the native donors. Some little difficulty arose regarding the urapas, or cemeteries, the owners being averse to parting with any control over these, even to the proposed I board. This difficulty seems to have been settled, and the Government may now be I congratulated on having earned into effect I the very praiseworthy purpose of Sir Francis Bell. It is only fair to state that throughout I tho natives recognised the wisdom of the j proposal, and have never at any time sug- ; gested they should receive payment. Their attitude has been that these delectable areas should be protected for all time and for the benefit of all the people, pakeha and Maori. They have, indeed, behaved handsomely in tho matter. Mr. Earl explains further that the gift includes a number of picturesque headlands ! and bays, including a quantity of native bush. The back areas to the north of tho lake are being thrown open for settlement, and this was what made a definite settlement of the proposal a matter of urgency.