TARANAKI’S HERITAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1927, Page 8

TARANAKI’S HERITAGE.

'.rhe Mount Egmont forest reserve is Taranaki's most valuable possession. It holds the moisture and stores the rainfall that waters the plains even in the driest of summers. Once the forest was affected, the natural reservoir would be destroyed, the water, after rainfall, would rush straight out to sea, destroying land in the process, and leave the farms in the dry months unwatered. The forest also has a considerable influence on the climate, which is now an ideal one for dairying. It is Essential, therefore, that the reserve should be protected and maintained at all costs. This the board entrusted with its care is striving to do with the attenuated financial resources at its command. It has no easy task. Cattle and goats in recent years have caused a good deal of damage to the bush, and the only way the board has found of meeting it has been by putting on rangers, with guns and dogs. Some impression lias been made on both cattle and goats, but it is -quite clear that if they are to be kept in check a vigorous campaign against them must be conducted every year. This, however, costs much money, and the hoard has little for the purpose. Again it has been found that a vigilant watch must be maintained if the hush on the radius line is to be kept intact from fire in certain parts, and from the axe of settlers after firewood and posts in others.

llus w.srK necessitates regular inspection. In the northern open lands the board was confronted with a serious

i o-b'em. The lands had got beyond the means or the powers of the lessees, gorse and blackberry had taken charge, and the only way of combatting them, and of preventing the bush alongside from becoming destroyed as a result of the annual fires of the neighbouring settlers. was to reafforest the lands. 4 start with this work was made last year and continued again this year, the Government making a spech.l grant for the purpose of relieving the unemployed p sition. ft can justly be claimed that the board is conscious of its responsibilities, but is very severely handicapped by lack of adequate funds. Unfortunately, the importance of its work has not been fully appreciated by some of the southern local bodies, to whom the board must look for much of its funds. Two of them have already declined to subscribe their quota of the subsidy, based on the capital valuation of their areas, and their action may iqtve a far-reaching effect, for the Government, which hitherto lias granted the board a subsidy on the strength of the Taranaki local bodies helping themselves in regard to the maintenance <; the reserve, may decline further assistance. This would be a serious matter for the people of Taranaki, who are primarily affected. The mountain is becoming increasingly popular as a health and holiday centre, hut all the revenue derived from the fees and tolls in the past have not been sufficient to maintain the roads and the accommodation houses, tracks, etc. Consequently, they cannot be expected to contribute to the upkeep of the park, meet administration charges, and generally protect the reserves, work which is all vital to the welfare of the province. We feel sure that if members of local bodies only realised what neglect of the park’s interests would mean to their children and posterity, they would not hesitate to grant double, or treble, what is at present asked of them for the preservation of Taranaki’s heritage. They would know, then, that it is the cheapest form of insurance against ultimate disaster.