TONGARIRO PARK

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2198, 10 July 1914, Page 8

TONGARIRO PARK

REQUEST FOR EXTENSION

A NATIONAL ASSET

GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO ACT , ;.- •■' Extension and better control of Tonga, rii-o National Park were asked for by a deputation which waited on the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W: F. Massey) yesterday morning. It has been frequently stated, although it is not generally known,_ that the area described as the Tongariro National Park is mainly mountain, and that there' is very little forest on it. What is being asked for now is the extension of the boundaries to take in some of the forest area .'on the fringe of 'the :park,' which is now popularly supposed to be part of 'the park.' The deputation represented the New Zealand Institute and others interested in the preservation of national scenic 'reserves and indigenous vegetation and forest. It was supported by .Messrs. D. H. Guthrio, G. -M. Thomson, R. W. Smith, C. K. Wilson, Jj. Buick, J. Robertson, T. K. Sidey, and H. G. Ell, M.P.'s. . Mr. G. M. Thomson, introducing'.the deputation, said 'thiit; the request they would put forward was that the Government should fix the boundaries and extend the area of the Park, which was, they would suggest, a most valuable reserve for.the.nation.' ■ . ..' ■ • ■' ' Save the Native Flora. ''Dr. Cockayne said the deputation did not-ask for one acre of land of value , for farming, or sawmilling purposes. They simply asked for the extension of the park to make it attractive' from a scenic'point of view. The; reason for the _ request was twofold—to establish a. climatic reserve,". and to. set :apart aji area-.on which native; vegetation could bp conserved. Regarding, his first reason ho pointed' out; that if the forests i-were cut down the'farms would suffer 'through' the effect on the'rainfall and the'.flow. of. water. He', also urged the necessity for ' conserving.' New Zealand flora ; pointing out that civilisation was' causing our flora to be largely displaced by imported trees and plants. ' He thought that everything possible should, be done..to conserve areas , of absolutely primitive vegetation for future .generations. These areas: Would in time be unique, and would-possess, great,educative- power and afford pleasure to our descendants. ,■.•:-... '...\ ': :

';. Mr. D.. Buick - stressed tho necessity for 1 •preserving certain portions of New. Zealand forests in.'.their native purity. ■Nativetimber did not- growrapidly, arid activity in afforestation .was carried out to .a great extent with foreign trees of quick growth. He was inclined to go a little farther than Dr. Cockayne,' and would reserve a piece of ■ milling'timber. He would, ;hand over k> Mr. Massey .a Bill or suggestions .for:'a Bill drafted by: the Palmerston .North ■Philosophical. Society, and he honed the suggestions might prove of use to the; Government; Mr. R..W. Smith'said- he -wished to bring under tlio notice of Mr. Massey a letter ho had received from the Ohakune Borough Council': recommending tho boundaries suggested by DK'Oockayiie m InV 1903 report,': arid . recom.mending also methods for: controlling the park.- Their suggestions included the completion of the Waimariuo-To-kaanu Hoad, the' cutting' of.'■ certain, tracks, and the erection of huts. On Ins own behalf, Miv Smith- >said ho wished to endorse all that, had -been-, said about the desirability of preserv-' ing the, bush near Hohungatahu'' Ho .urged that-the prayer,of the'-deputa-tion, be;,granted,,becauselio : .felt sureiliat the park, would one day be a big thing for this couutry, l even from:: a |railway (rertauie. producing ~ point ,of view. -~ ■', >.:..' ~'■■■■■. ;■ ,'.'•■ v■: .••-,. ; j Planting ;of' Heater. ■ Professor Kirk said that- it was.'extremely .important , :to conserve forest on tho watershed. .Every\acre saved on the watershed made for a'.'steadier ■flow- of water, and the destruction- of bush made for;. fluctuation in- the -flow. He did not approve of the planting of ■heather, on the park. was. so lilenttful in Europe because it had' properties which enabled it to- displace all other'vegetation. But-there it was fighting against vegetation.' that was used to fignting.it.. .Here-it would encounter in- its spread vegetation not used to fighting, it, and he feared tha't :many trees and plants now growing 'on the land would disappear before it. ■ : V Mr. H.' G..E11 supported'what-Pro-fessor Kirk had said about the planting of heather. .'lf r .people went : fcrthe ■park they went there to see Now.Zealand vegetation, and-he did not'think' -it-advisable. to grow or other imported plants there. .

Dr.; Cockayne said, he- had omitted to point out that there wore hot springs ,at Ketetahi,' which were" the best for curative purposes in Now Zealand, besides, having ■ '-.tuermal .properties ■ superior to anything in,Rotorua. The land on which'the springs were was Native land, and he thought ib should be acquired , by the Government for addition ;to the park. .■ ■ ' ' !■ ■•■• •■■■•■■ ':.-■ I . ■.. ——-—- •. ■■■".. \i - ; GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION;

TO COMPLY WITH REQUEST.

'. The Right Hon; W. >. Massey said that it was.'very seldom that a dopiitatioii so; representative came , along'with sucli'a unanimous request The Government had, however, practically-de-cided to do what the deputation now asked, before they had'eomo along. The deputation asked for an extension of the.' boundaries; of the park, but did not , ask for the inclusion within the boundaries : of<land suitable for settlement'purposes? .In view of this he was quite prepared to do what they asked. The Government , had decided to niak-o some changes in ..t\\&-- control 'of the park.. For many years'a board had been supposed'to bo setup, but he did not- -Know that the board had dbiw anything., He had met gentlemen who -were members of the board, but w!io were not.aware of it. He prdposed to put m?n on'the-board'who would fake an intercst;.in the park. He was not prepared'to say yet who-those geiltle-. men would ■ be, but they wotild be representative, men from the provincial districts'of .Wellington and Auckland. The Government would do all- that was possible to meet the wishes of the deputation.. ': .'•_ ■ -•■-■ •-■■ . . . '■; •