VANDALS IN EGMONT PARK

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1931, Page 14

VANDALS IN EGMONT PARK

REMOVAL OF PLANTS REPORTED. . DEFACING OF CEDAR TREES. Reports of acts of vandalism in Egmont National Park were brought before the North Committee of the Park Board at New Plymouth on Monday night. From the discussion it was made clear that every member of the committee was determined that the park must be preserved intact and would take every step possible to assist the board in bringing offenders to justice. In every case of detection prosecution would follow, it was stated. The acting chairman (Mr. W. D. Armit) introduced the subject by referring to acts of vandalism on the part of some people who were cutting slabs of bark from trees, mostly soft-wood trees, the cedar apparently being the favourite. In some cases they were cutting their initials on the trees. There was the danger that the trees would bleed and ultimately be destroyed. It might not perhaps be generally known that removal of bark from trees in the park was an offence. It was resolved to have a sharp look-out kept for offenders with a view to the board/instituting a prosecution, and to enlist the assistance of the Alpine Club in checking the'practice.

Mr. F. J. Morshead drew attention to the fact that during the past few months a number of choice alpine plants had been taken from the rockery, while others had been damaged by the removal of growths, apparently by cutting with a knife. A fine group of aciphylla squarosa, “spear grass,” or ‘ Spaniard,” one of which bore a fine flower stalk nearly two feet high last summer, had received special attention from the vandal. Of those plants which had been entirely removed the losses included several ranunculus, lyallii, Mt. Cook lily and rarer species of spear grass which were specially collected, at Arthur’s Pass and in Otago. He suggested a notice board would be effective in eliminating that loss and damage. He was, he added, expecting a further consignment of alpine plants, the fourth, to arrive next month. The chief ranger also reported on. the removal of portions of plants from the rockcry. Mr. Skinner remarked that the practice showed pure ignorance on the part of the vandals in removing plants that would not survive below the 4000 feet level.

It was resolved to draw the attention of the gatekeeper and the ranger to the matter and to a.sk them to exercise close supervision.