SCENERY PRESERVATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 99, 11 May 1901, Page 2

SCENERY PRESERVATION.

THE DEPRAVATION OF PARITDTO At tho public meeting convened for Friday evemnginbbeCouocil Chambers at the instance ef the Scerery Preservation Society, there was only a moderate attendance. Mi. E. Dockrill (Mayor) presided, and amongst those present were Messrs W. H. Skinner (Prfsident of the Scenery Preservation Societv), C. W. Govett (Vice President), W. A. Collis (Secretary), S. Porcy Smith, F.R.G.S., W. L. Newman, N. K. Mcj Diarmid, R. C. Hughes, S. B. White and E. G. Allsworth.

The Obairooan apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr. John S'rauchon. •

In stiting the object for which the meeting was called the Chairman said that a numbrr of people considered it time some st«ps woie taken to put] an end to an action, which, if left unchecked, would sooner or later end in the d molition of the sugar-loaf Paritutu. 1 his mount was a natural land mark, and added greatly to the b9auty of the coas*. Many eld associations clung around it, and he thought it would be a thousand pities if anything were allowed to be done by which such an object of beauty was destroyed.

Mr. Govett said one of Taraoaki's grandest " land marks was being threatened with destruction, and this should be stopped, if p-ssibre. He refeired to the terms on which tbe sugarloaf bad ben placed under the control of tho Barbour Boird, as a t>ust to be used in the construction and maintenance of the harbour and in any way which might be in the inter*'a 1 ; of the town as a whole. About twenty years ago an experiment was made by Captain Davidson to sea if suitab'e stone could be obtained from Paritutu for the construction of a rubble breakwater. He drove into the side of the hill, but the metal was found unsuitable for the purpose. S >me JitMe time f-ince the Harbour Bovrd gave permission to a contractor to take 150 <i etone from this old drive ; 1.0% curiously enough, for harbour work?, but for th« County Council. The quarry was very handy, and other metal w.s scarce, and there was every roas m foe believing that much moro tlvn tin 150 yards had already been removed, though he quite believed the Harbour Board did not intend that more shou d betaken. He (Mr. Govett) thought that a short line of railway to a part of Mount Egmont would give an unlimited supply. But such a grand piece of scenery as Paritutu, with its old historical association?, should revr be allowed to go to destruction, There were some things fur which too great a price could be paid, and if the mount were allowed to be removed for such a purpose as the provision of metal, people in days to come would recog' ire this when it was too late. In the pist the Harbour Board bad aNays met the Society in a most friendly manner, and had allowed it to plant the base of Paritutu. If something were not d ne ;o prevent it I tbe depravation of tbe hill would go on until peop'e might loik upon its re moval as inevitable. Over the drive from which metal was now being taken the Society had planted a large number of trees and seeds of various rative and other shrubs, and it should not their probable destruction w't>ou*i an effort at preservation. He moved, " That the Chairman and Me : svs Smith, Newman, Collis and the mover wai on the Harbour at its next meeting with a view of getting the Board to stop the removal of any further stone from Paritutu."

Mr. S. P. Smith seconded, and in doing so said he could cot; look upon the destruction of Paritutu without, a fee'.ing of grief. He was one of the oldest Bottlers of New Plymouth and had spent his childhood in tin place, and all old people had used to -took upon Paritutu as a recreation ground. Theo it must be renvmbertd that one of tho grandest assets New Zealand had was its scenery, of such a varied and beautiful description. The Government had done much to protect the scenery in other parts of the colony, and what, he asked, would people say if the people of Taranaki allowed this to be destroyed? Already New Zealand was blamed for allowing such ruth'ess destruction of her valuable bush, and the need for conservation w«b being recognised. The people of Taranaki were celebi at? d for their love of scenerv, and this was exemplified io the work done by a few in the formation of the beautiful Recreation Groun 's. He was sure the Society had the sympathy of old and young in its efforts, and it would be a shame if the work of destruction were allowed to gj on. He referred to what had occurred in Auckland, where paople now deplored the action of the authorities who in the pnst had allowed many of the surrounding h ; lls to be seamed and scarr d i>y quarrying. The work had at last been sfopppd, but too late ; their beauly ha<f gone, Evuything possible should be done to prevent such a fate happening to Paritutu.

i Mr. White supported the resolution. Ho was soiry to sei such a small attendance ; but he had spoken to a numbor of people on the subject, p.nd.a'] agreed that the ret-n*ioa of Pari IUII was most desirable. Sentiment was strong, and many old associations were connected with this sugailoaf. He himself had read of Paritutu, before he came to the colony, and now looked upon it as an object of deep interest. He believed also that i ( s demolition would be a decided financial loss to the : district, and many would be very sorry to see it de*troyid- ! Mr. Skinner said Paritutu wa* the. most striking land mirk on the Westl Coast of the North Island, and the ; historical interest attached to it was so | great that its destruction would be viewed with regret by a Urge section of the community. From its summit the Maoris had sain Tastcan on his voyage along the coast in the 17th century, and Captain Cook in the 18th. From these time? do*n lo the present the associations connected with Paritutu were strongly idet-t fled with th'. history of the province. The first setters landed atitobate; tl-eir de - candants had grown up within i'eview. As one of these descendant he could notfmd words strong enough to «p ess his abhorrence of cny that might be made to remove on obj ct of ' such beauty and. interest, Be believed

there would be no difficulty in getting the Harbour Board to adopt the Society's views, and though at some future date 'here might be some danger of the hill becoming a victim to the quarryman, public feeling would by then have been so educated that it would force the Government to step in and save a spot go bound up in the history of Taranaki. Mr. Hughes heartily supported any movement which would prevent such an act of vandalism as tho destruction of Paritutu. he pI«o had old associations connected with the mount, and he looked upon anything tending toeffice its pic'uiesqueness as a publiocrime. Mr. McDiarrnid said newcomers to the eo'ony were struck with its many beauties of scenery. Ho was pleased to see that Dr. Robertson had decided to do all he could to preserve the Mokau river scenery. It was sad to see so many of qnr beautiful spots spoiled. He thought they should protect also against the destruction of Mikotahi. Mr. Skinner said the Mikotahi sugarloaf did not cont-in material-such as would attract at'ention, and the Society would do better to confine its efforts to tbe preservation of Paritutu. The following names were added ta the deputation on the suggestion of the Chairman :—Mess<s. McDiarrnid, White, Hughe*, aid S raucbon. The motion waa then carried unanii mously. The meeting then discussed several other matters. Mr. Newman referred , to the destruction of tui, and the following resolution wes carried, " That tbe attention of the Government be called to the fact of the destruction of < tbe tui now going on in tbe district, and that it be requested to instruct the police to try and stop this flagrant breach of the law; and it is suggested that notices in Maori should be widely , circulated," ( Mr. Hughes referred to the spread , of f urzi on the Patua Rtngrs, and Mr, Collis explained that the reserve was , now under the control of the National Park Board, which was about to take s'eps in the matter. Mr. Skinner referred to wanton destrucion of Pohu'ukawa trees* a'ong Wonlcombu Terrace, and the Chairman i savl tbe B. rough Council found some difficulty in gettiug buch off j noes , brought under the notice of the Curt. Mr. Hghes asked if something could ; not be done to open up Bains' Terrace ; along tbe Huaroki stream. Tbe Chairman said the best ouree would be for rosidents iu the vicintity to approach , the Borough Council. With the usual compliment to the ; Chairman the meeting terminated.