PRESERVATION OF BUSH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18299, 16 January 1923, Page 7

PRESERVATION OF BUSH.

w/Cnganui river BANKS. ' f 4 — ' , NECESSITY FOR NAVIGATION - [BY TELEGBAPH. — COaSESPONDEffT. ] ' '■.*'■'•-'■ . WANGANUI.'Motiday.'; J" Mr. D. F. Wilbur, Consul-GeneraL fei . 1 the United States in -New ' Zealand, hiis ;. . i just completed a trip dowii the Wanganuij • j River from Tanmarunui. ! He expressed ;. * the opinion thai the ; sdenery .was mag-// ; " nificent. It was. one of the most enjoya able trips he had ever undertaken x and ■■.■■ jhe was charmed - with the glorious ■ .. scenery. He emphasised the necessity b for \ the conservation!of the bush on the. * - watershed and; most certainly the - forest 8 0p... the banks of the river, which should! [be viewed as a great national, asset. .- ..■' \. t, The preservation of • the bush ;-should :, mean the preservation of fihe' river --lOiii.'•.':' - shipping purposes. Ho "cited, the/ case v 9 the Hudson River in .New ✓ York ?: Stat«iy '' where the value of the river 'was "seri-; , ously . interfered ,\ with by the": cutting; . down of the forests at the head waters.! ? So great became the : dsjiger that : : tjiei .': '*. State had to step in to ,prevent the absio- 1 lute denudation of the'bush and to take V ■' t in hand a policy of reafforestation.',"'*' •; • " One thing I find about you '•New;'Zea'- : . ■\\ •; landers is that you are too modest,'*:te- _• marked Mr. Wilbur, who went .on ito «ay .that because /of '-; this modesty; :.j Wanganui was not getting full use out. . the river. In fact that, remark appliiisd - ; to the whole- of: the '"■■■■'country?* ' sceiqic - beauties. These should be = widely advertised in America. !' :rf*' : : ■ Hiscountrymen knew little -or nothing ■% about this country and he wis ; quite cer- . tain .Vthat a.; widespread- and judicioiaii :'■. advertising campaign "in the United States: 3 would result •in an influx of - =Americ:itri- - ' visitors here year after;yean .American.-'/'.■ " tourists. w<jnt to-European resorts and in i one year spent ,'20,000,000 dollar's: „-.■ { Switzerland ; alone. ' From the scenic point / >'■::' iof •■.'view,'■■New'Zealand compared/ favopt- a 5 ably with that- country. The Americans > were alway3 looking' for something new; ; ;' - and if they. ,were'told "of the glories /pi : -.-r • New Zealand tjio result would be bads- ? ficial to all concerned.- ... ,]' '