Saving Plant Life of Rangitoto Island

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 277, 13 February 1928, Page 1

Saving Plant Life of Rangitoto Island

DR. HILL SUPPORTED .'RESERVATION FOR SCIENCE The Curator of the Auckland Museum, Mr. Gilbert Archey, is in hearty accord with the opinion expressed by Dr. Hill, curator of Kew Gardens, that Rangitoto should be kept as a reserve on account of the extreme importance of its flora. ,r JpHERE are plants on Rangitoto which cannot be obtained in any other part of the world, and a scientist like Ur. Hill must naturally look upon Rangitoto from the scientific point of view,” says Mr. Archey. The study of the New Zealand flora, he declared, was of the greatest value

to the Dominion, and for purposes of comparison it was essential that reserves of absolute virgin bush should be preserved. That was why the Institute Council had taken up such a firm stand when protesting against the road recently

made through the Waipoua State Forest. “VVe wanted to see V aipoua preserved intact,” he said. A centurv ago New Zealand was entirely free from the depredations of eating mammals. ■ It was a very different story to-day. That was the reason why botanists were so anxious that areas of virgin bush should be retained. • The scientist looks upon Rangitoto from the same standpoint. He knows that once these plants are destroyed thev can never be replaced,” said Mr. Archey. "He does not look upon such an area from a social, or sports, point of view. He regards it purely in the light of its value to the world of learn- “ Personally. I think Dr. Hill is Quite right,” he added.