EGMONT NATIONAL PARK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 83, 13 August 1923, Page 2

EGMONT NATIONAL PARK.

INCREASED POWER FOR BOARD. OBJECTION TO NEW LEGISLATION (From Taranaki Herald). Heavy maintenance and extraordinary expenditure has for some time past been a heavy drain upon the finances of the Egmont National Park Board. The Government subsidy, averaging a little over £2OO annually, has proved totally insufficient for exploiting the resources of the park and the boa I'd was faced with the position of increasing the finances available and steps were taken to have a Bill put through Parliament similar to that passed in connection with the Tongariro National Park, extending the powers of the hoard in regard to borrowing and leasing sites for hostels. This was sanctioned by the board, a committee appointed drafted the Bill' and a deputation waited oil the Prime Minister and laid the position before him with the result that, though the Bill was not put through this session, it will go through next.

Objection to some of the clauses and to the action of the sub-committee, however, was made at a special meet* ing of the board held in New Plymouth on Friday. There were present Messrs. H. J. Lowe, Commissioner of Crown Lands (chairman); T. B. Crump, J. B. Pi-hards, H. N. Kitchingman, V. Griffiths, R. Dingle and T. C. List. Apologies were roreived from Messrs. J. S. Connett, J. Garcia and R. Anderson.

Mr. Richards, representative of the Stratford Borough Council, as convener of the meeting, opened the discussion. He was a member of the subcommittee, he said set up to consider the details of the proposals to extend tho powers of the board and to endeavour to increase their subsidy, and naturally he relented any action taken that was not in accord with the policy and views of the board, the only course being Open to him was to bring the matter before the whole board. Referring to the proposed amended legislation, he considered that those clauses relating to leasing and borrowing were direct contradictions of the cardinal features of the board's policy, which he understood was to conservate the park area and not alienate it in any way. If the power to borrow money bringing the board into line with a local body was created there was a possibility of a mortgagee coming in and taking away part of their assets. He complained they had gone too far and were not acting along the line of the board's direction. Such proposals should have been submitted in detail to the board before an attempt was made to have legislation passed. In replv to Mr. List the secretary said Mr. Richards had been notified of all meetings and was asked to take part in the deputation to Wellington. Mr. Dingle said the point they had to discuss was whether the subcommittee had exceeded their powers in seeking to raise money on tho reserves.

Mr. Crump said he was glad of the opportunity as one of the promoters of the representations to the Government and one who formulated the whole mattor to report on what was done. The deputation had been taken hurriedly by Mr. Massey, whom they had told that they desired similar borrowing powers as those conferred on local bodies under the Local Bodies Loans Act. Ho quoted figures given to Mr. Massey—£Bo,ooo had been spent on the mountain in 20 years' existence of the board and of that only £5400 had been received from the Government and £IOOO from rental.

The Government subsidy was entirely inadequate,. to run the'resorts. Increased accommodation was urgent and tracks all over the mountain cried out for attention. Sympathy had been expressed with the requests, and the Prime Minister had signified there was no difficulty in the way. As to the increase of the subsidy to £SOO, nothing definite was given <is to that.

The Government policy, continued Mr. - Crump, was to decentralise and hand resorts over to local authorities or lease them to individuals. They had sustained big losses in the past and he did not think there was a possibility ;if a grant. The proposals, he considered, had been carefully gone 'into by the board and given every atten-; tion and there was no room for complaint on that question. What the board wanted was to be able to give a tenancy so that a hostel could be leased for a term. Two acres were insufficient for that purpose and they had asked that this he increased to four. Also they wore compelled to lease to the highest tenderer, which often was not satisfactory business. Tho board was a representative, democratio body, on which the Minister of Lands, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Un-der-Secretary of Crown Lands, and representatives of twelve local bodies sat, and if they were not capable of dealing satisfactorily with the business coming before them he could not say who would be.

£IO,OOO WANTED. In reply to questions Mr. Crump said the board had about £4OOO and mceded about £IO,OOO to provide necessary improvements, They intended to borrow that amount. Increased accommodation at Dawson's Falls, metalling the north track, forming new tracks around tlie mountain, and extended facilities at North Egmont were some of the works required. In reply to Mr. Dingle it was stated that the board intended to pay off those who had already provided money for exploiting the reserve. Mr. List, in the course of some remarks, said the board had delegated its powers in the sub-committee and surely it was up to them to support their action. Personally lie was opposed to the alienation of one inch of the reserve under any consideration whatever, no matter what prospects there were for an assured income. They were not alienating any portion, only willing to pledge it under conditions which assured' no possibility of alienation taking place. There was no risk and Mr. Richards ivas barking up tlio wrong tree. Though a member of the committee he did not attend all the meetings and did not go to Wellington. Therefore he shoulu have made himself conversant with the position before objecting. It was absolutely necessary they should get money, said Mr. List. Last year they had lost-£2BO and the year before £.378, though included in that was £213 for hurricane damage. This money was being guaranteed by citizens. They wanted something more certain than a Government subsidy which averaged only £230 a year over twenty years. It had cost £IOO a year to maintain each track and at the present time, through the thaw, tire North Egmont track was impassable. lie mentioned that with the opening of the Awakino Road tourist traffic from Wellington would bo diverted in this direction.

REAFFORESTATION. Another point lie touched upon was reafforestation. He suggested that money should lie devoted to planting 500 acres of Ahuahu reservo, which was swampy land and not statable for fanning. The hoard would have its own nursery, from which revenue would he derived and the reservo kept stocked, lie also stated that instead of having the houses under separate committees, as existed at present, it was proposed

' to secure control of th© whole reserve under the one board, entrusting committees with the details. In concluding, Mr. List combated a statement made by Mr. Richards, inferring that members were not giving Stratford side fair attention. In reply, Mr. Richards said tho statement referred to a time when Mr. List was not a member of the board, and he (Mr. Richards) had been subjected to criticism. Continuing, ho stressed the point that powers such as they suggested should be carefully considered. Me could not see the wisdom of the clauses relating to borrowing. It appeared Lo him to be merely playing with words, as it had been whittled down so that the board could only borrow oil' the Government, who would be asked to lend money on their own property. Me was out all the time to help in exploiting the reserve. Neither of the houses showed a profit, yet he was quite willing to push the Stratford house, because it should bo done for the good of the reserve and tho people whose asset it was.

Continuing, Mr. Richards said he considered that any important matter vitally affecting policy should come" before the board. Me had no regrets in calling the meeting and before the Bill went through, which he understood it would not do before next session, a draft should bo tabled for an expression of opinion. Regarding Mr. List's suggestion in connection with reafforestation, he thought legislation should be provided in the proposed Act entitling the board to use the timber so grown. This would be necessary before tliej 7 could cut it. It was asked how tho board intended to meet the interest and sinking fund on tho proposed loan. in reply tho secretary stated that at present the board was paying more in interest to the bank than interest and sinking fund would amount to on a Government loan. No motion was proposed, and the matter was not pursued, the majority of the members present Leing quite evidently of the opinion that ihe subcommittee had not exceeded its powers in what it had done.