SCENIC RESORTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21498, 23 May 1933, Page 9

SCENIC RESORTS

ACCESS FOR THE PUBLIC INQUIRY REGARDING RIGHTS "The introduction of measures into the British Parliament on access to mountains and the Rights of Way Bill raises the question as to what is the position in New Zealand, particularly in regard to the former matter," states the president of the New Zealand Tourist League, Mr. 6. M. Fowlds, in a letter to the Minister of Lands, the Hon. E. A. Ransom. "We understand," said the letter, "that here in New Zealand the law has made statutory regulations governing rights of way (21 years); but apart from national reserves the publics have no right of access to mountains, lakes and rivers, except with the expresis permission of the owners." "While there might not appear to be much need for legislation to protect public interests while New Zealand's population was small, the day might come when campers, trampers. and tourists would be pushed further from the cities and towns to what were now unfrequented areas. This might concern the South Island more than the North Island, as in the South Island there were numerous sheep stations abutting on to the alpine regions, where, at the present time, visitors were so few that no difficulty was raised about their entrance to private property. Without infringing private rights, it should be possible to devise something on the lines of the proposed English measures, to secure access to scenic and tourist resorts and features of interest not publicly owned." A copj' of the letter was received at the meeting of the Christcliurch branch of the Town Planning Institute of New Zealand last week. The letter was referred to tha technical committee.