NATIONAL PARK

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 74

NATIONAL PARK

THE TONGARIRO RESERVE. GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS. ' {From Our oVn Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 9. The question of defining and to some extent extending the boundaries of the Tongariro National Park was brought before the Prime Minister to-day by a deputation from those interested in the improvement of the reserve. The deputation, which was introduced by Mr G. M. Thomson, M.P., included Dr Cockayne,.. Professors Kirk and- Hunter, and Messrs D. H. Guthrie, T. K. S;dcy, J. Robertson, H. G. Ell, D. Buick, C. K. Wilson, and R. W. Smith, M.P.’s. Dr Cockayne said the deputation did_ not ask for one acre of land that ■ could be used for farming, forest, or milling purposes. They simply desired to have the park so extended as to improve the scenic features of the reserve. .. Mr Buick stressed the necessity for preserving certain portions of New Zealand forests in their native purity. \ Native timber did not grow rapidly, and activity in afforestation was carried out to a great extent with foreign trees of quick growth. He was inclined to go a little farther than Dr Cockayne, and would reserve a piece of milling timber. He handed to the Prime Minister a number ‘of suggestions from the Palmerston North Philosophical Society. Mr Smith, in supporting the deputation’s request, said that the Oha-kune Borough Council had made a number of suggestions, including the completion of the WaimarinoTokoanu road,” the cutting of certain tracks, and the erection of huts. Professor Kirk said it was extremely important to conserve forest on the watershed, as every acre saved on the watershed made for a steadier flow of water. He did not approve of the planting of heather on the park. Heather was so plentiful in Europe because it had properties tljat enabled it to displace ’all other vegetation, but there it was fighting against vegetation that was used to lighting it. Here it would encounter in its spread vegetation not used to fighting it, and he feared that many frees and plants now groWing on the land would disappear before it. Mr Ell supported what Professor Kirk had said about, the planting of heather. If people went to the park they went there to see New Zealand vegetation, and he did not think it advisable to grow heather or other imported plants there. Dr Cockayne said there were hot springs at Katctahi which were the best for curatiye purposes in Now Zealand, besides having thermal properties su Deri or to anything in Rotorua. The land on which the springs were was Native land, and he thought it should bo acquired by the Government for an addition to the park. PRIME MINISTER’S FAVOURABLE REPLY.

Mr Massev said the Government already had practically decided to do what the"deputation now asked. The deputation asked for ap extension of the boundaries of the park, and as they did not ask for the inclu- / sion within the boundaries of land suitable for settlement purposes he was quite prepared to do what they asked. The Government had decided to make some changes in the control of the park. For many years a board had been supposed to be set up, Put he did not know that the board had done anything. Ho had met men who were members of the board, but who were not aware of it. Ho proposed to put men on the board who would take an interest in the park. He was not prepared to say yet who those men would be, but they would be representative men from the provincial districts of Wellington and Auckland. The Government would do all that was possible to meet the wishes of the deputation.