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Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1930, Page 4

There appears to be some rivalry about the claims for suggesting the preservation of the scenery between the Waiho Gorge and Fox Glacier. The locality lias often been extolled in years gone by both bv visitors and local people. Casting the memory back wc believe it was Miss Baugh am who. before the road was opened, several years ago, wrote a pamphlet on the scenery, describing it as the finest walk in the world, a phrase which has since been adapted to the Milford Sound (track; Tire afilastiitg nature of the scenery, due in the Plain to the fine opportunities for wonderful outlook over the .forest below to the hills above, is remarked by all. However, an official statement on the matter has keen issued lately and is before us. In the course of the remarks it is stated that the question of scenery reservation in the vicinity of the Fox Glacier was impressed upon the Government early in 1927 hv the Hon. W. Peniher Reeves of London in a letter to the Hon.' Minister in charge of Tourist and Health Resorts. At about that time the officers of the Lands and Forestry Departments made V'epresentations for the setting aside of a large area including the whole of the hush for a considerable distance on each side of the main south road between Waiho Gorge and Weheka for scenic purposes. Practically the whole of the bush was then Provisional State Forest and the State Forest Service, rea-

lising that the preservation of scenery in that locality was a matter of national interest, agreed to uplift the reservation over the whole of the bush within State Forest in that locality to enable the Lands Department to take the necessary steps to have the bush permanently reserved. As a result 14,127 acres in the Waiho and Mt Cook Survey Districts were set aside for scenei'y preservation purposes by special legislation under Section 14 of the Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act, 1928. Last month Mr A. P. Harper, of Wellington, urged one big National Park from Arthur’s Pass tfl the Sounds. Tile area above quoted however would he part of that enlargement,' while at the same time, Clio idea of extending the area emanated also from Dr Cockayne who visited the district for the purpose of reporting and discussed the question with Dr. Teichelmann. Dr Cockayne has written a'paper on the fauna of the area referred to, which has been illustrated by photographs taken specially by Dr Teichelmann, and this joint publication should be available to the. public at no distant date. It should ensure a wider knowledge of an area of remarkable scenic attractions destined always to be an attraction to Westland for hush lovers.