NATIONAL PARK BOARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6, 28 April 1914, Page 6

NATIONAL PARK BOARD.

MEETING IN STRATFORD. The usual meeting of the Egmout National Park Board was held at the Borough Council Chambers, Stratford, this morning. Present: Messrs Bullard (Commissioner of Crown Lands, in the chair), Collis (New Plymouth), Morisou (Stratford), Wilkie*(Hawera), Goodson (Hawera), Hill (New Plymouth), Wilcox (llahotu), and Stocker (secretary). Mr Goodson said no steps had yet been taken in regard to a toll-gate on tlie Dawson Falls track, though the County Council had no objection to the gate. At present there were some people who took cars up a certain distance and then walked up to the House, evading the charge of half a crown.

Mr Wilkie said that if the road was not fit for motor traffic to the House he did not blame drivers for not taking cars, up, and personally he did riot think it was fair to make a charge on a car which did not rise the road. Mr Goodson said while cars were left by the side of the track there was always a danger of accident. He thought it would be a good idea to have a telephone wire from the House,to the gate. Mr Collis said there was such a wire .it the North house and the office at ■the gate was used also as a general bureau.

Mr Morison said that anytlnhg done would be in connection with next season’s traffic, and on his motion the whole matter was referred to the South members with power to act. The secretary notified that he bad been advised that the Eltham Borough Council and the Egmont County Council were entitled to representation on biie Board, and lie had been further advised that Mr Crump, the Mayor, had been appointed to represent the Eltham Borough Council, and Mr Wilcox (Rahotu) to represent the Egmont County Council. The Tourist Department wrote objecting to the Board apportioning £lO of the grant to let,self, holding that the whole of the money should be spent on track work. They therefore desired to withhold the sum of £lo.—-The secretary said he had seen the chairman on the matter and in order to secure the whole of the grant he hud put on a man to make the track at the Manganui Gorge safe, the work to cost 610.—The action of the chairman was approved. The statement of accounts showed is follows:—North: Receipts £662 i9s 9d, expenditure £OO6 4s 2d; south, receipts £157 14s 6d,i expenditure 6149 8s Id; east, receipts £SS 12s, expenditure £36 19,s 7d; west, receipts dl, expenditure os (bank charge). Accounts amounting to £837 Og 3d were passed for payment.

5 Mr Bayfield waited on the Board in ouueetion with a prospecting license over portion of the National Park. He said he believed there were two min■rals which he wanted for the development of the irousand deposits at New Plymouth.—Alter considerable uis-

■ussion the matter was left in' the muds of the chairman.

Mr Wilkie brought up the question, of the unprotected pits sunk by the Public Works Department near ilie Stratford House. ' Previously the department had been asked to make them •.ate, but the only protection made seemed only to be a rotten sapling run round them. J.t was not nice to think that while rambling over the mountain one might fall into such a pit.—lt was decided to refer the matter- to the East members, who shall report to the chairman, who was given power to take any necessary action. Mr Wilcox said that on the west side there were a number of cattle in the Reserve, some of which were deliberately put iu.—Mr Morison said it was a serious duty of the Board to keep the reserve free from cattle. He knew for a fact that on one occasion fifty cattle had been driven in from Toko and placed on the mountain on the cast side.—The chairman said ho had authority'to issue licenses for shooting cattle, but not branded cattle.—Mr Collis said that if branded cattle were killed the Board would not be in a cad position. If the owner asked for compensation it could be pointed out to him that he was liable to a penalty of £SO for every beast of his found in the Reserve.—The chairman was authorised to issue shooting licenses. Before the meeting closed the chairman congratulated the Stratford members on the improvement in the affairs of the East house, the patronage and returns having increased. V-