THE TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 301, 16 September 1919, Page 6

THE TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK

Sir,—A paragraph in your paper suggests that I talked of the park as being M acres in extent. I would not trouble you to correct it, but I want 'Wellington, people to be interested in this our great playground in our own provincial district. Some years ago in Parliament I suggested that our volcanoes Ruapehu, Ngauruhoc, and Tongariro, with their, museum of volcanic wonders, should bo set aside as a national park and kept from monopolists. Tlio Prime Minister, Mr. Ballance, thou set aside a large area, and Maori landlords very generously granted as a gift another large area. Later I found that about 30 acres, including the hot springs, Ketatahi, in this park wore reserved by the Maoris, As these are amongst tho most powerful healing springs in Now Zealand i wanted the Government to build a sanatorium there—they are tho nearest and easiest • to get to—and would cost Wellington/"' peoplo least time and money to reach;" 1 . 1 As they are private property I asked Mr. ( Hemes, Native Minister, to buy thcni, ;; making them a part of this park. H« lll; ' tried, but the Maoris use the springs, and 1 - 7 :' allow us to use them, but will not sell, but will probably do so later. ', Tho deputation asked the Government _ to build o mountain house in tho parki a few miles from tho Waimarino railway . station, as it has done at Mt. Egmont and Mt. Cook. As this park is only . a few hours by radl from Wellington, a • mountain house would be a great boon to Wellington folk. Mt. Cook and Mt. Egmont, though charming, are far away and costly to reach. Tongariro is the natural health .resort and playground for all Wellington, Auckland, and Ilawke's Bay. At a small cost and a short trip a mountain house would prove an immenso boon—the best return for tho smallest expenditure known to me—l tun, etc., A. K. NEWMAN.