CORRESPONDENCE

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1937, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

DANGEROUS ROAD CROSSING. (To the Editor). Sir.—When driving on the Arahura Valley Road on Sunday evening, both my car and myself received a most unpleasant shock on passing over what appeared at first sight, to be an ordinary high culvert on the up-river side of the Humphrey’s P. 0., but, instead of a high culvert, I found one of those old fashioned spillways, such as the ancient Greeks or Romans may have used, which, as well as being very dangerous to motor traffic, is, on inquiry, found to be almost impassable for heavily laden horse drawn vehicles, except at the cost of broken knees. Driving over it at between 10 and 15 m.p.h., cost me a main spring leaf. There are no visible notices to indicate that such a dangerous condition exists, and no motorist who was unfamiliar with the road would dream that a 20th. century County Cvncil, with a highly trained engineer, would tolerate such an archaic montrosity on a road within 12 miles of the capital of the province. This form of cross’ng is had enough on a level ro id, but is > ery dangerous when on the top of a high stop bank as this one is.—-I am, etc., J. D. McLINNAN, Hokitika.

I KOWHAI BUSH. (To the Editor). Sir, —Greymouth, in its general amenities, is not so favoured as some other towns, but there is one exquisite piece of nature preserved within the Borough that has no equal in the Dominion. I refer to the Kowhai bush situated near the mouth of Sawyer’s Creek, near the historic spot, “The Camp,” site of the first camp of the gold fields’ warden in the sixties. This bush is the one remnant left of the original forest within the precincts of the town itself. It is about two acres in extent and is composed chiefly of Kowhai trees. By happy chance the tide of settlement has passed it by, and it is now gazetted as a scenic reserve. Nothing, or practically nothing, has been done for its safety. It should have a cattle and sheep proof fence, and a belt of growth for protective purposes. At the present time, however, it is a| glorious sight, with the Kowhai's] golden blooms glowing in the sunshine. Heavily laden with the rich amber blossoms the trees are the hunting forest of many tuis, which after a winter of slimming diet, are ravishing the flowers for their honeysweet contents—the nectar. The birds in their iridescent shining plumage with white collars, move rapidly from tree to tree. They chortle and grunt, and draw imaginary corks. They hammer out clink clank notes like a blacksmith at his anvil. Then you will hear a flute and silver-bell symphony or a ful chorus of contralto chimes. There is no town in New Zealand that can. present a more beautiful scene of nature than that of our Kowhai reserve.

Now comes the tragedy. I am told that there is a movement on foot to despoil us of this unique trea- | sure, to cut it down for utilitarian and commercial purposes, in the name of progress forsooth. I for one have no intention of allowing this stupid and retrograde act to be done without a struggle. I hope for the support of all Greymouth citizens whose sense of natural beauty and the general balance and fitness of things will rouse to protect their heritage, and that of their children. Let this letter be the first blow in the fight for its preservation, for fight there is sure to be once the people are seized with the audacity of the proposed destruction. Perhaps this letter will also bring the despoilers out into the open. Privily no doubt the enemies of the Kowhai and the tuis are work-

ing hard at the moment secretly to secure their ends. They, it appears, would leave the citizens of Greymouth in ignorance until it is too late to retrieve the loss. They can rest assured, however, that the proposed ruthless destruction of a spot known and admired by nature'' lovers throughout the Dominion will bring! a horde of supporters to the cause ojj its protection. So now the gauntlcß is down. —Yours, etc., ■ EHOA-O-TE-MANU.J