SCIENCE ADVISER SPOKE ON NATURALISTS' CLUB

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 43, 3 June 1965, Page 6

SCIENCE ADVISER SPOKE ON NATURALISTS' CLUB

Guest speaker at a recent meeting of the Taupo section of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society vvas Mr Devlin, science adviser to the South Auckland Education Boaid, who spoke on his work and interest in the Hamilton Voung Xaturalists' Club. Mr Devlin outlined the facts that led to the desire to introduce young people to the realities of natural life. Among these were the forces of the sea which throw rocks about like pebbles and on the other hand the beauty of colouring and the form of the smaller insects. He showed slides of some of these insects which were both beautiful and awe some. There were also

slides of some of the native flowers and golden and carmine ratas. Mr Devlin said he thought if young people could realise the smallness of mankind in the realm of nature, they would not go far astray and so the idea of the club was formed. One of the first and most important rules was attendance at every meeting and then attention to detail in all they did. The first members were a few enthusiasts from various schools who met together for evening meetings and field days. They then decided that they needed club rooms that could be used for weekends and were nearer the bush. Almost immediately they

were offered 30 acres of bush above the Kawhia Harbour, at Oparau. It was an ideal site and work was started immediately on clearing undergrowth. Eventually, with the assistance of the Hamilton Rotary, and other interested people combined with much hard work on part of the club members, a large room was built, complete with kitchen and adjoining sleeping and ablution rooms. Mr Devlin has plans for extending the buildings to enable more members to join. Films of the building of the club rooms were shown, followed by those of the rarer birds to be found in the vicinity. Both kokaka and spotless crake were shown and Mr Devlin related their efforts to move the latter to an area of bush where it had more chance of survival, but their efforts were fruitless as the birds flew back 16 miles to their former home. A tape recording of the song of the kokaka was played and members listened Ko the deep resonant notes which so few have heard. To end an interesting evening, Mr Devlin showed the remains of young trees that had been ringbarked

by goats and he mentioned the terrific damage these animals were doing. Mr Devlin well understands that he must give his members something to strive for since everything we have is derived from Mother Nature and the best way to understand life is by the study of the flora and fauna of our native bush.