DEDICATED TO NATION

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 99, 21 January 1943, Page 4

DEDICATED TO NATION

Well-Known Hawke’s Bay Station GUTHRIE-SMITH TRUST

In accordance with the wishes of the late Mr. W. 11. Guthrie-Smith, his dnugli ter, Mrs. J. Archer Absolom, has dedicated "Tutira” Station to the people of the Dominion. Mr. Guthrie-Smith is well remembered as the author of ‘‘Tutira,’’ ''The Sorrows and Joys of a New Zealand Naturalist,” and other works. He developed "Tutira” Station from the early eighties and it was for ninny years his wish that "Tutira” should be preserved in perpetuity as a place of beauty, "Tutka” Station lying round Tutira Lake, which is a -bird sanctuary, about 26 miles from Napier, on the main Napier-Wairoa road.

The property contains just over 2000 acres of freehold land and, in addition, all the stock and plant have been given to the trust. The deed of trust provides, first, that an area of at least 200 acres shall be made available as a park area ami, secondly, that the trustees are given power to establish a farm for training juvenile immigrants for life in the Dominion.

In this connexion, they have already been in touch with the Fairbridge Farm Schools organization, which has extensive training centres in all other Dominions. At the moment, the park has not been thrown open to the public, but the dale of this will be duly notified. .It was not possible to make over (he station free of all mortgage and it is the first intention of the trustees to clear this debt by means of the annual farming proceeds. Unfortunately, the liabilities of the property are likely to be increased by a belated claim for deatli duties which was unknown to Mr. Guthrie-Smith or to the executors when the dedication was decided on. It is the desire of the trustees, as funds become available and labour is again more plentiful, to provide camping and recreation facilities and continue Mr. Guthrie-iSrnith’s work of planting the pronerty with beautiful and rare trees.