Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23, 1936 MORERE RESERVE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19127, 23 September 1936, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23, 1936 MORERE RESERVE

Tlic recent visit, to Morcro of the general manager of the Tourist Department, following last year's substantial expenditure on the provision of a new open-air bath, en courages a belief that greater ofiicinl attention is likely to lie given to ivliat, in t lie past, has been the Cinderella of tourists resort*. Willi the steady improvement in road conditions, Morero has become increasingly and deservedly popular with the public, not so much, perhaps, because of the undoubted curative qualities Of its mineral waters, as because of flu- remarkable beauty of the bush reserve and the almost unique attractions of the sin foundings. In some respects, the bush itself is without parallel elsewhere in New Zealand, and I he existence in the heart of if of hot springs and bath-houses is a cause of unceasing wonder Lo visitors. In these circumstances, it, is surprising that, more has- not been done to cater for tourists; yet those who are loudest in their praise of the resort would be the first to resent the carrying out of any work which would un-

necessarily destroy that naturalness which endows Mororo with its real charm, and to oppose Hie intrusion of nny * blatant commercialism. Tins does not mean, however, that, nothing should be.done to improve the existing facilities. On the contrary, the time is long overdue when the profits earned at Morerc year after year should he expended for its own benefit instead of being appropriated to make good part of the lo.sses on some of tliu department's other and more spectacular ventures. No heavy expenditure and no elaborate plane are required. Indeed, the guiding principle should be to interfere as little as possible, but, at the same time, to provide the maximum convenience for visitors and ensure that the best results are obtained from the available amenities. First consideration, perhaps, should lie given to the improvement of the camping site, which would not affect: the bush at all, but would enable more people to appreciate it, and, incidentally, would considerably increase the. revenue of the department. The most important requiremen/f is the provision of some form of pcrmsment shelter for campers and the inclusion of equipment for such daily tasks as cooking and washing, lti this connec lion, the department might well con sider the erection of huts similar tr those it has provided at. Waikaremoann, with the addition, perhaps of some larger building for communal use. Few camping spots were more popular than Morerc last year and attention to a few comparative!? minor details would immeasurably in crease the patronage. Linked with thi v question of the camping site is the need for some better regulation o traffic, both in the interests of safctj and comfort. A short length of bitu men sealing would eliminate the dust nuisance and it, should be possible tc devise some means for lessening the danger, particularly to children cross ino- from the camps to the reserve Outside the reserve itself parking facilities could be vastly improved at very little cost. Inside the bush, nothing of any consequence requires attention. The top bath-house needs minor improvements, better lighting is required at night-time, a.nd the track could be extended with advantage. Most important, of all, is the replacement, of the existing cottage which, despite the careful attention if obviously receives, has outlived its usefulness and i.s far from being an asset to the reserve. If the department would consider a new building combining a residence and a ladies' rest-room it would do something like justice to an oiKcer who is deserving of every consideration and. at the same time, would provide one of the most-needed wants of the localitv.

Any comment on Morerc would be incomplete without some reference to the work of the officer in charge, Mr. Kennedy. To him, the comfort of visitors and the care of the large reserve has become something far more fhan a mere routine task. Ho hits brought to his work an energy and enthusiasm that is reflected as much in the high esteem in which he is held as in the vastly-improved appearance of his domain. Far from sharing in the benefits of a forty-hour week he works on every day of the year and ungrudgingly places himself at the service of visitors from daylight until long after dark. Despite the handicap of the loss of part of an arm, he has lone-handed effected a transformation in the reserve, falling trees, levelling and grassing rough ground, erecting rockeries and fernhouses, cutting tracks in the bush, forming ponds, and maintaining wellkept lawns and gardens. What, Morerc is to-day, in fact, is largely what Mr. Kennedy lias made it, and no praise for him could be too high. In so greatly popularising the resort, however, lie has immeasurably increased the work which falls upon his own shoulders and the time has now arrived when an assistant should be provided, if only during the summer months. Such a step, indeed, would citable most of the requirements of Morere, other than the provision of new buildings, to be met, and the small extra expense would be more than justified in. view of the increasing patronage which is inevitable.