SCENIC PRESERVATION. Beauty Bpots between Kai Iwi find Maxwelltown.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12579, 28 September 1908, Page 3

SCENIC PRESERVATION.

Beauty Bpots between Kai Iwi find Maxwelltown.

At the meeting of the Chafctfer of Commerce this morning, which was largely attendance, a tetter was read from Mr W. C Kensington, TJnder-Secretary for Lands, and a member of the Scenic Preservation Committee, in reply to the Chamber's letter of the 4th instant, urging the Government to purchase areas of native land at the Maxwelltown gorge betweeft Kai Iwi and Nukumaru, for scemcjurarposes. Mr Kensington advised that n the Chamber would offer to contribute a portion of the estimated purchase money the representations wonjd be immediately brought under the no tiqe of the Government for consideration. It -was pointed out that for some time past it had been the rule that -when areas of -land in vicinity to large centres of population were desired for scenic preservation, the local authorities or residents were required to contribute a portion of the estimated purchase money, ihe Government subsidising (generally £ for £) the amount. It was felt that if the persons, who urged the acquisition of scenic areas near cities, and large towns were in earnest in the matter, something could usually be done to assist the Government to purchase the laud in question. Apart altogether from reserves in. the vicin-ty of towns, there were exten* sive and valuable areas that required immediate action, and the funds of the Government were primarily devoted to securing lands whose reservation would benefit the whole Dominion, such, as the tanks, of the Wanganui River, the North Island Main Trunk route, etc. If the local' residents and authorities did not feel disposed to bestir themselves to assist the Government, as has been done in other centres, Mr Kensington said it might be considered unreasonable to expect the Government to devote so much of the limited vote for scenery preeerva tion towefrds the purchase of land chiefly visited and appreciated by persons Irving in or rear Wanganui. Mr Gregor, McGregor thought the reply ,v«ry unsatisfactory, especially in view of the fact- that -a previous Commission had reported strongly in favour of +hs Government purchasing the land 'n question,; and setting it aside as a scenic reserve* The old Commission include-1 Messrs Percy Smith, Marchant, (ex-Chief Land Commissioners), and Matthews (of the Forestry Department. They and the other members had examined the bush in question, whJch consisted of over 100 acres of beautiful scenery alongside the mam 1 road, which from a national point of view should be reserved. The land >ad been offered to the Government at a considerable reduction in the price first aalredy and conld now be purchased at j66 a/n acre for 50 acres, and £8 per acre for 65 acres — a price much below its value. The old Commissioners'' expressed the "opinion that the land in question contained one of the most beautiful pieces of bush they had seen, and, as he had said, '-strongly recommended its purchase. Now.ua new Commission asked, that the town should contribute to the purchase, although other votes had, been granted in other parts of the colony, without any such demand being made, for land that, was of value mainly to the nearest town. In conclusion, Mr McGregor moved that the. Government be urged to acquire the land for scenic purposes, that their attention be called to the previous Commissions' report, and that the member for Wanganui and adjoining districts be gflked to interest themselves in the matter.