THE ROUND BUSH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1788, 12 February 1918, Page 3

THE ROUND BUSH.

The Mayor recently received the following communication from the Under-Secretary of the Department of Lands and Survey:—

“Referring to the Yecent -proposal that an area of land known as Round Bush, Foxton, should be acquired by the Government and set apart as a scenic reserve, I am now directed by the Right. Hon. Minister of Lands to inform you that the proposal was referred to the Scenery Preservation Board for report, in terms of Section 5 of the Scenery Preservation Act, 1908. The Board after fully considering the matter, recommended the acquisition for scenic purposes of the area of 4 acres of the remaining kahikatea bush together with access thereto. In regard to the adjoining area of 42 acres of mixed bush, the'Board further recommended that this area should also be acquired; but as this is not of such scenic beauty as lands along the Wanganui and Mokau Rivers, and other localities in the Dominion not yet acquired, and as there are heavy and urgent calls on the financial resources of the State at the present time, it was recommended that it should not be acquired unless half the cost of acquisition was provided by the local authorities. If a guarantee is given that funds will be provided locally to cover not less than half the cost of acquiring the 42 acres in question, the Bight Hon. Minister of Lands is prepared to favourably recommend to the Government that the acquisition be proceeded with.”'

At last night’s Council meeting the Mayor said that Avhen in Wellington recently, in company Avith Mr W. 11. Field, M.P., he interview-

od Mr Massey .on the subject. lie pointed out that the question of scenic preservation ,was of national importance, and not a matter that should be attended to bylocal bodies, and that the reference in the letter to (he areas up (he Wanganui and Mokau rivers was undiluted bunkum, as (hey would not in any way benefit the residents of the Manawatu district. They turned up (he Harbour Board Bill, and found that it contained a (danse prohibiting any interference with (he'bush without the consent of (he Minister of Lands. The insertion of this provision look away (he commercial value of the land as far as (he Harbour Board was concerned, but the Mayor considered it was the duty of the' Council, in fairness to (he Harbour Board, to see that in the event of the land being acquired, that the Harbour Board received a fair price for it. Mr Massey appeared to view the matter in a reasonable way, and said the first thing that should be done was to get the land valued. He said the Government would be prepared to pay up to £425 towards acquiring the bush. The Mayor said Mr Massey had promised to visit Boston next month, when the matter could be further discussed.