THE MOUNTAIN RESERVE

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1930, Page 14

THE MOUNTAIN RESERVE

MEETING OF PARK BOARD

COST OF AFFORESTATION.

REGENERATION OF THE GROWTH.

Tho adjourned quarterly meeting of the Eginont National Park Board was held in New Plymouth yesterday. Present: Messrs. W. D. Annit (acting-chair-man), T. B. Crump, G. Gibson, G. L. Bayley, P. Thompson, T. R. Anderson and Gordon Fraser. The chairman referred to criticism by

the eastern committee of the board’s

finances and the proposal to raise the secretary’s salary. The criticism, he said, was not justified. As' regards the secretary’s salary, the board resolved on the motion at its meeting and the Stratford representatives should have made any necessary criticism at the board’s table. It was not quite in order for the committees to criticise the board’s actions like that. As far as the secretary’s salary was concerned, the secretary was called upon to do a great deal of work apart from the four meetings a year. It was not a question of dividing his salary by four and saying he received so much a meeting. Administration as regarded the destruction of goats and afforestation gave him a great deal of extra, work. Regarding the fact that the board’s income was shown as £2,600, an analysis of the expenditure showed that the board could, scarcely make greater allocations than it did. The expenditure included travelling expenses of board members £4l, afforestation work £l4OB, subsidies to committees £241, expenditure on goats and ranging £427, secretary’s salary and other expenses £l3B. In fact, tho board’s balance after meet ing the expenditure was only £35 6s 4d. The figures spoke for themselves. The money received for afforestation was, not strictly sneaking, revenue, although it had to pass through the board’s books. It was really unemployment relief money. He felt, that tho representatives of the east'committee on the board should have rebutted the statements made at the meeting of tho east committee. Mr. Thomson considered that the committee should be held competent to discuss the actions of its representatives on the board. The east committee had felt very strongly,-said Mr. Thomson, about the* board’s action in enquiring into the cutting of timber on the mountain by the cast committee. The timber cut was dead and rotting totara. The board had put the matter in the ranger’s hands to make enquiries; he had gone to other sources than the chairman and secretary to secure his information and conse-

quently his information was not strictly correct. The chairman had certainly received a letter from the board but only after the ranger had made his enquiries. The revenue from royalties on timber cut by the cast committee was £45. The chairman said that there had apparently been some misunderstanding. The board had made its inquiries with a view to having a definite controlling scheme for the cutting of timber. The board’s ranger reported that opossums on the reserve were not so numerous as last year. It appeared that tho opossums were inclined to migrate from one part of the reserve to another. Inroads of cattle into the reserve were discussed in committee. It was decided that the secretary should notify owners of straying cattle that unless the cattle were removed action would be taken against them. Tho regeneration of growth on the Kaitake ranges since the destruction of goats was reported by Mr. J. 0. Bell, Oakura, the board’s honorary ranger. Ten years ago, said Mr. Bell, there was in particular a place in the ranges where there was a sugar loaf shaped rock surrounded by growth. The other side fell away in a gully. It was an ideal place for goats. The place was covered with rich, hanging foliage. Five and a-half years ago when he had visited the spot again it was bare. Goats were plentiful.

The campaign of the board against goats had so changed things that’ now it was hardly possible to find a goat. Previously the settlers were accustomed to go out shooting goats in that neighbourhood. Now they never went there as it was almost impossible to find any. Recently he had been over the ground again and found that the undergrowth, particularly the taupiri, was coming back wonderfully well. It was plain that if the goats were not kept down they would kep thevundergrowth down. . Tho chairman said he could vouch for the work done and the regeneration of the growth. What Mr. Bell had seen happening there was going to happen in other parts of the mountain. The ranger stated that the settlers round tho mountain had co-operated in the work of exterminating the goats.

An application by the cast committee for a grant of £5O for afforestation work owing to the effects of constructing the new road was granted.