OFFICIAL VISIT TO KAPITI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2410, 28 March 1922, Page 4

OFFICIAL VISIT TO KAPITI.

REPORTS OP DESTRUCTION MUCH EXAGGERATED.

The Kapiti Island Advisory Board visited, the island during last week, for the purpose of ascertain# its condition and discovering for themselves what measures were required to make it an effective bird sanctuary. The Minister of Lands (Mr Guthrie) was unable to accompany the board. The party consisted of Messrs G. H. M. McClure (Commissioner of Crown Lands), W, H. Field, M.P., and E. PhillipsTurner, and Professor Eirk. They arrived at the island on Saturday afternoon, and returned to Wellington on Sunday evening. Mr McClure has not yet submitted the Board’s official report, but in an interview with tlfe Minister he stated that they had made an exhaustive inspection of the island, and were agreeably surprised with the state of the native bush. The goats were not so. numerous, and the extent of the injury caused by them was not nearly so serious as had been reported. -So far as Mr McClure’s observations went, he could find no trace oi injury to the bark of the trees except for opossum seratchings. • '

In practically all the open spaces sheep were fairly numerous, but despite this fact young trees such as koliekohe were coming away satisfactorily. After careful inquiry and inspection the board was satisfied that the sanctuary so far as native birds 'were concerned was being respected. Tui, inokomoko, and parakeet were seen in large numbers throughout the bush portions of the island, and particularly in the tarata trees, which were covered with berries. Only one pigeon was seen, but the caretaker reported that they were there in fairly large numbers. The Commissioner, on behalf of

the Minister, had a conference wit

the Native owners, with most satisfactory results. “An exchange of interests has been agreed to which will practically, consolidate both the interests' of the Crown and the interests of the Native owners, and

.will permit of a good fencing line,” said Mr Guthrie. “The boundary will traverse very rocky country, and consequently the fence will be an expensive one to erect. But as soon as legal matters have been attended to in regard to the exchanges the work will be proceeded with.” A further statement will be made as soon as the Minister receives the board’s official report.

Mr W. H. I’ield, M.P., who has always taken a keen and active inetrest in the protection .of Kapiti Island, said on Monday that the visit had convinced him' that the reports of destruction wrought on the island by sheep and goafs had been exaggerated. The party climbed to the top of the island at the souths ern end on Saturday afternoon, and obtained a. good, view of the bush. They then went" north to Taepiro, which is the central valley of the island. This is a.beautiful grass valley, and Mr Field urged years ago that the Government should use it for grazing purposes, and so provide funds that could be used for

the protection and development of the sanc.tuary. After inspecting the valley the main party went to the home of the caretaker (Mr Bennett) for the night. On Sunday morning the party, after an early breakfast, ascended to the trig station directly above the caretaker’s cottage. This climb to *a height of 725 feet through the bush occupied over two hours. Then the members of the party went north along the edge of the cliff. at the western face of the island, and descended to the coast again near Te Rere stream. They returned to the. caretaker’s cottage at" Rangitira. Mr Field had the advantage of intimate acquaintance with the island in making the inspection, since he far-* med on it moi’e than thirty years ago.

“It was noticeable that the scrub, had been opened in many places by, animals, but the.bush had suffered little, if at all, from this cause,” said Mr Field. “We noticed many dead trees in the forest, principally ratas, but it is difficult to say what accounts for this mortality. Certainly it, is not due to the cutting out of undergrowth, v '' We - counted, in ali, twenty-five goats, and we saw many hundreds of wild sheep. They are real wild sheep, with long fails and unshorn wool. We saw some enormous fleeces.

“With regard to the, birds, we did not see a large number of pigeons', but we have no reason to believe that‘ the number on the island has diminished seriously. Bell-birds and parakeets seemed to be more numerous than ever, and wekas were very numerous. Very many other birds were there. Among the parakeets were specimens of the large Antipodes Island parakeet, which was loosed on the island some time ago. It was thought that this bird had disappeared, but evidently it is increasing in numbers. Very many other birds were there. We’ sat down in the bush on Saturday afternoon, and the birds came around us in swarms.’/

Mr Field added that the bush on the island was very beautiful still. Large .areas of, it apparently had not suffered in the, least from any 'destructive agent. The opinion's that had been ‘formed by the members of the board in regard to the future welfare of, the island would be expressed in an officsial report.