TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16942, 17 January 1923, Page 8

TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK.

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 16. An interesting statement regarding the appointment of the new board of management for Tongariro National Park, under the amending legislation passed bust was made by the lion D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, to-day. The genesis, of the park was that an area of 6508 acres, comprising barren mountain tops, originally was set aside by the late Hon Te Heu Heu Tukino, chief of the Ngatitu wharetoa tribe, as a reserve. Subsequently there was added to this area by the Government some 55,792 acres of Crown land, making altogether an area of 62,300 acres, which constituted the Tangariro National Park under the Act of that name passed in 1894. The controlling body was a special board of trustees consisting of the Minister of Lands and six others. This board administered the Park until 1914, when section 54 V>f the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act dissolved the board and vested control of the park in the Department of Tourists and Health Resorts, which had administered it until npw. For some time back there hud been a movement co improve the facilities of the park and offer greater inducements to the general public to utilise its varied atti actions. The-Act of last session increased the area of the park 10 145,000 acres, appointed a board of management consisting of the Minister of Lands, a lineal descendant of Te Heu Heu Tukino, the permanent heads of the Lands, Tourist and State Forest Departments, the Mayors of Auckland and Wellington, the warden of the park and four other members to be appointed by the Governor-General. These last appointments are about to be made. The first meeting of the board will be held at Waimarino on Thursday, January 25, when steps will be taken to put the machinery of the Act in working order and arrange for the development and best utilisation of the park. The gentlemen to lie appointed comprise Mr \V. H. Field, member for Otaki, who is an enthusiastic mountaineer and always has taken keen interest in the development of the natural scenic attractions of the district; Mr Thomas Blyth. schoolmaster at Oliakune, “who lias made lorty ascents of Ruapehu and who knows every inch of the park : Mr Alexander Simpson, Hunterville, who has given valuable services as trustee in the estate ’of the late Mr R. C. Bruce, who donated the greater portion of his wealth to encourage the preservation of the flora and fauna of New Zealand : and Mr William Salt, of Wanganui. president of the Ski Club, who Inis done a lot for the park, and has already built temporary huts and put in whole weeks of his time making improvements to the park. The Maori members is Hoani Te Heu Heu. grandson of Te Heu Heu Tukino. Taken altogether the board will be most representative. It is Composed of gentlemen who- Avill do their best to develop the park on modern lines.

Some fifty 3-ears ago the present Prime Minister of New Zealand almost made a choice which would have deprived the country of his services as a statesman, according to a story told by him on hoard the Ruapehu yesterday afternoon. Mr Massey said that while coming out to New Zealand to join his parents he mixed a good deal with the apprentices, and on arrival in New Zealand. lie experienced some difficulty in deciding whether he would follow the sea or follow in the footsteps of his lather, who was already on the land. “ If 1 had gone to sea.” said Mr Mas sey with a twinkle in his eye, “ I would not have become Prime Minister, and I don’t know whether that would have been for the good of the country oi not. However, Shakespeare has said : ‘ There is a destiny which shapes our ends, rough hew them as we may.* (Laughter and applause.) Those who have come into close contact with the Chinese people know that a Chinaman always tries to keep a promise. Some few years ago a man m Taranaki said to a young Chinese gardener what a good cook his father was when he was the cook in one of the leading hotels in the district, and «hat lovely plum puddings he used to serve up at the Christmas dinner. ' My father very old and wrinkled now, and is living in China,” replied the young Chinaman, “and I soon go to China to see him before he dies, and if J go I will tell him what you said about his plum puddings, i.ud I will get him to make you one, and I will bring it to you.” The; promise of the pudding had been forgotten, hut just before Christmas the Chinaman returned from the visit to his father, and to the delight of his old friend brought the plum pudding with him, which was served up with great relish on Christmas Day. THE READERS OF THE “STAR.” Buy goods of the very best quality. : If vours are the best of their kind, ad- ‘ vertise them in the “STAR.” X