THE "POST" ON PARITUTU

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 45, 12 February 1908, Page 4

THE "POST" ON PARITUTU

Thus the Wellington " I'ost," under the beading "Utility's Destroying Arm Utility's list threatens to strike Paiitutu, the hoary armed sentinel that has stood guard by the Port of Now .Plymouth for many generations. Before Maori or Pakeha came, Paritutu stood knee-deep in the breakers, and was for ever lighting with the white horses that kicked at his ribs. The brown mail and I lie. white man swarmed along the shop', and Paritutu saw them at war, and his name was woven into some of tinlegends of those turbulent days. Paritutu holds rich stores of history, but the ;\cw Plymouth Harbour Board sniO'r- al history, and asks for metal. To tli.'in Paritutu represents so many cubic yards of rock or spoil at so much a yard. When the very boardy board decided !o demolish the great rock a loud chorus of indignation was raised, and nil appeal was made to a Government department. Mr. W. C. Kensington. Under-Secretary for Crown Eands. has replied mentioning that Paritutu and other rocks were vc-i. Ed in the board in 18Sli in trust for the ■onstruction and maintenance of docl%s, piers, and such other works as may be deemed advisable by the Harbour lioar.l. the board considers that Paritutu can tie put to belter purpose than serving 10 please the eye- of the people ami s i ! i licni noising fiiMilu the strenuous pa si. Therefore. Mr. Kensington gives an opiu 011 that il does not advisable to int.erfere with the harbour board in its vandalism. Surely the board can get iragments of rock without dynamiting ,'aritutu, and so giving sorrow to many

,«v Zea landers in all the province. Paritutu is a very interesting scenic feature on the Egmont headland, but the associations that cluster round it call l ill louder for its preservation against the blasts of the utilitarian. We trust that it is not too late for the board to tie converted by moral suasion, if possible, or by other means, if necessary." Our Wellington contemporary is needlessly alarmed. There is at present uo intention of "giving sorrow to many New Zealanders." The Harbour Boa:'d . is as anxious to preserve Paritutu intact as is anyone else, and as the Fishing Rock seems likely to supply enough stone for breakwater extension for a few years to come, Paritutu will not be touched. Should other stone be available, old Paritutu will long be ljft in stand "knee-deep in the breaker*," but should il be impossible to protect shipping without taking stone from his bn,.e, sentiment will probably be exploded wrh | gelignite, and the fragments placed !along with the rocks in the great conI crete blocks which form our breakwater