National Parks

Forest and Bird, Issue 106, 1 November 1952, Page 3

National Parks

IN our last issue we outlined, briefly, the Society’s views as to the reforms necessary to establish an efficient and practical policy of control and management of our National Parks, and expressed the hope that the proposed legislation would recognise the need for these reforms, which had been advocated for many years. While that issue was in print, the Hon. Minister of Lands, Mr. Corbett, introduced the Bill, which received unanimous approval in Parliament. The machinery, namely a National Park Authority, working through local Park Boards in each of the existing National Parks and any others that may be proclaimed, is simple and practical, and the key note is preservation of our natural flora and fauna and the extermination, as far as possible, of all introduced plants and animals which exist in such areas. National Park Authority The Authority consists of nine members, five of whom represent the Departments of Lands (two), Internal Affairs and Tourists, and the New Zealand Forest Service. To these are added four members, one each to be appointed upon the recommendation of the Executives of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand and Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand respectively, and one appointed by the Minister to represent the National Park Boards established by the Act. The Authority is given control, in the national interest, of the administration of existing National Parks and it may recommend the enlargement of these Parks and establishment of new ones. National Park Boards Under the Authority are the Park Boards. The Tongariro Park Board is reduced to eight members, namely the Commissioner of Crown Lands for Wellington District, a lineal descendant of Te Heuheu Tukino, the donor of the area, four persons appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the Authority, and one each on the recommendation of the Federated Mountain Clubs and the Ski Council of that body. The Egmont Park Board also has eight members, four to represent the four existing local committees, one representing Taranaki Local Bodies and two recommended by the Authority. The Commissioner of Crown Lands in Taranaki is Chairman. In all other National Parks the Boards will consist of the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district, and six members recommended by the Authority, with the proviso that where the Authority considers that climbers and skiers should be represented it shall do so on the recommendation of the Federated Mountain Clubs and Ski Council. The constitution of the Park Boards is, in our opinion, on very sound lines. Firstly because, as these Boards have to carry out the Authority’s general policy, it is important that the Authority should approve of the persons appointed, and secondly because small Boards of members with local knowledge of the area under their care are much more useful than the past plan of large Boards of eighteen or more members, some of whom were appointed by virtue of some office held by them on Local Bodies rather than practical knowledge of the area concerned. Finance In the past all National Parks' have been handicapped for want of revenue except in the case of Egmont, where the local Bodies surrounding the mountain have

voted themselves to provide a substantial income. Tongariro and Arthur Pass Boards had not sufficient income to maintain their areas; if any extra expenditure was necessary application for a grant had to be made to the Government. Those who have been advocating reforms had hoped that special provision would be made for an annual appropriation for the upkeep of National Parks, as in Great Britain, United States and Canada. It is disappointing to find no mention of this in the Act. The only reference to finance is that one of the duties of the Authority is to recommend to the Minister the manner in which “moneys appropriated by Parliament for National Parks” shall be allocated. Let us hope that this forecasts special annual appropriations. General Provisions . The powers given Boards for efficient ranging, prevention of fires, prohibtion of firearms without a permit, the prevention of disturbance of birds or their eggs and nests, the extermination of introduced plants and animals and the protection of our native plants are extensive and the penalties adequate. Power is given to Boards, with the consent of the Authority to construct roads and tracks with minimum damage to bush and to set aside suitable portions as “Wilderness Areas” to be left in their natural condition for all time. Perusal of these provisions will satisfy our members and the public generally that preservation of our forests and birds is paramount. We congratulate the Minister of Lands for having brought down this much needed legislation and its most favourable reception in Parliament.