ISLAND SANCTUARIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19768, 9 April 1934, Page 8

ISLAND SANCTUARIES

NATIVE FAUNA AND FLORA. Steps have been taken by the Government to reserve permanently for the preservation of native fauna and flora the groups of islands constituting the Auckland Islands and the Kermadec Islands. The Auckland Islands are situated to the south of New Zealand, about 289 miles from Bluff, and the Kermadecs lies in a north-easterly direction from the Dominion. The principal island in the Kermadec group, Sunday Island, is 600 miles from Auckland and a little more than halfway to Tonga, but 100 miles to the eastward of the direct steamer route to that place. The southernmost island in the Auckland group is Adams Island. This island, which is 25,000 acres in area, was permanently reserved in 1910 for the preservation of native fauna and flora. The remaining islands in the group have been leased for pastoral purposes for many years past, but when these licences recently expired the opportunity was taken by the authorities to proclaim the whole group a permanent reserve. These other islands are Auckland Island, Rose Island, Disappointment Island, Enderby Island and Ewing Island, their combined area totalling 129,600 acres. In the days of sail the Auckland group achieved notoriety by reason of the wrecks of several vessels which had encountered its stormy shores in the Homeward passage from Australia. To this day shipwreck depots are maintained on Auckland Island; Disappointment Island, Adams Island, Enderby Island and Rose Island. It was on Auckland Island that the General Grant was wrecked in the 'sixties when returning to England with cargo of bullion from Australian gold diggings. Several unsuccessful attempts have been made to find this treasure. From this wreck there were a few survivors. It was to the Kermadec Islands that Captain von Luckner (of the German raider Seeadler) made his escape in the auxiliary scow Moa during the war.