LODER CUP AWARD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22320, 18 January 1936, Page 14

LODER CUP AWARD

WORK OF BRUCE TRUST MEMORY OF DONOR HONOURED • i [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] ' WELLINGTON, Friday In perpetuation of the memory of the late Robert Cunningham Bruce, through whose generosity many grants have been made during the past 18 years for the acquisition and preservation of native bush, the Loder Challenge Cup for the year 1935 has been awarded to the Bruce Trust. The cup is awarded annually to the person doing the most to encourage the protection and cultivation of New Zealand flora. The award for the year 1934 was made to Viscount Bledisloe in irecognition of his distinguished advocacy of the merits of indigenous flora and his service to New Zealand horticulture and forestry. Mr. Bruce died at Wanganui in 1917. He was born in Scotland in 1845 and entered the New Zealand Parliament as member for Rangitikei in 1884. In his will he left his residuary estate in the hands of trustees for afforestation and the making of national parks and domains in the Dominion.

For the most part the Bruce trustees subsidised the efforts by local bodies, domain boards and the Crown to acquire or preserve areas of native bush. Among the large number of grants made by the trust have been £ISOO to Tongariro National Park, £IOOO to Egmont National Park for the cost of exterminating goats. £2OOO for the purchase of Gordon Park, near Wanganui, jointly with the, Wanganui Citv Council.