AIM OF PARK BOARD IS TO PRESERVE AND DEVELOP AREA FOR ALL

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 66, 24 August 1965, Page 9

AIM OF PARK BOARD IS TO PRESERVE AND DEVELOP AREA FOR ALL

The aim of the Tongariro National Park Board was to preserve and develop the area for everyone to uset the chief ranger, Mr J. W. Mazey, said in an address to the Taupo Rotary Club on Thursday night. In the area from Lake Taupo to the southern extremity of the park, a whole geographic group could be seen. The group included Lake Taupo, volcanic and thermal activity, a crater lake, permanent glaciers, virtually a full range of bush and alpine flowers, and a winter sports area. The park was a heritage to the people of New Zealand which deserved better treatment. The head of the United States national park service, on a recent visit to New Zealand, had expressed his amazement at the magnificence of the scenery to be seen in this country. He was also impressed by wrhat was being done to develop the New Zealand national parks. Viewed on a national basis, New Zealand national parks were among the top three in the world, being bracketed with those in Canada and the United States. Mr Mazey said the 10 national parks in Newr Zealand comprised onethirteenth of the country's acreage.

At present, the Tongariro park covered 170,000 acres, but the demands on labour and finance were so intense that the controlling board had beeh unable to keep pace with the demand for facilities. ' Ten years ago, the park had an estimated 30,000 visitors annually. In 1960 the figure had risen to 100,000. Last year, the total was 176,000 and, this year, the indications were that the number of visitors would exceed 200,000. Mr Mazey said this year's total of winter sport visitors was 30 percent. higher than last year, and the number of snmmep visitors was increasing at an even higher percentage, To achieve the best results within the limits of available finance, the board had prepared a master plan and an eight-year programme of development.