THE NATIVE BUSH.

Shannon News, 21 January 1927, Page 2

THE NATIVE BUSH.

PLEA FOR PRESERVATION. Pleas for the rigid preservation of the remaining native forests were made by speakers at the gatherng at Memorial Park, Haywards, on Saturday afternoon. In the opinion of Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., if many of the hills in the Hurt Valley were left alone they would return to native bush. “For over a quarter of a century,” said-Mr. Field, “I have been begging the Government to reserve more of served, but there should be more. Let ■ - our native forests. Some have been re- - - us sec to it-that these watersheds of the Hutt Valley are kept for all time. There is nothing more splendid in this • country than the native forests, and if tourists could see more of our bush - we would find it an even greater at- . « ' traction than many of our beautiful places of interest. I have been like a vbice in the wilderness; I have not sue < i *

eecded to the extent I should have liked. I have not been supported to any extent by the Press, or local bodies, or members of Parliament. Quite recently, however, the Government acquired that area of forest between Akatarawa and the west coast, in addition to its present holding—an action which would do a good deal to preserve the climatic conditions of that part of the province, preserve the moisture of the atmosphere, and reduce the danger of serious flooding of the rivers that would do irreparable harm. ’ ’ Regarding Memorial Park, Mr. Field expressed the sincere hope that the Mayor of Wellington would see to it that that asset was not planted with exotic trees, but with the native vegetation that originally grew there. He was .of opinion that many of the neighbouring hills, if left alone, would gradually return to native forests.