BOTANIC GARDENS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19860, 2 February 1928, Page 12

BOTANIC GARDENS.

THE DOMINION'S NEEDS. INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. No one centre in New Zealand is suitable for a national botanic garden, is the opinion of M.r. J. G. Mackenzie, director of reserves, commenting on the remarks of Dr. A. W. Hill, director of Kew Gardons. Mr. Mackenzie stated that the whole matter was now being considered by the .New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. At present there were only two botanic gardens in New Zealand established 1 by Act of Parliament, said Mr. Mackenzie. These were the public gardens in Wellington and Christchurch. jjunedin had very fine public botanic gardens, but this was on Jand which he believed had been set aside by the early settlers of Otago, and Auckland, as far as he was aware, had none at all. There was no doubt, ho continued, that no part of New Zealand would grow all New Zealand native plants. Dr. L. Cockayne in the book, "The Plants of New Zealand," had divided the Dominion into botanic districts ten in number. The New Zealand Institute of Horticulture had constituted a committee to investigate the question and a very exhaustive examination of tho situation had begun. The committee was still working, but had practically decided that no one part of New Zealand was suitable for a national botanic garden, but that the gardens at tho four centres, when established, should specialise in certain lines and that they should bo subsidised bv the Government for carrying out work on lines which might be indicated by tho Government. The committeo realised that a national botanic garden such as K<sw or the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, would not be possiblo in New Zealand for many years to come', if at all. It had been suggested that a national botanic garden should be established either in Nelson or Rotorua, in order to avoid provincial jealousies, but it must' be realised that the gardens should properly be established in the large centres adjoining the university colleges. Tho committee appointed by tho Institute of Horticulture would make a full report on the question at the next annual conference in July.