EGMONT NATIONAL PARK BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 304, 19 December 1908, Page 6

EGMONT NATIONAL PARK BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Egmont National Park Board was held yesterday. There were present: Mr. F. Simpeon, Commissioner of Crown Lands (in the chair), Messrs. F. Wilkie, G. Goodson, W. P. Kirkwood, W. A. Collis, J. R. Hill, and S. Percy-Smith. Leave of absence was granted to Mr. A. W, Moore. ANNUAL REPORT.

The following report was presented and adopted:—"The season under review has been a successful one, the attendance of visitors showing a considerable increase, the weather being very favorable. At the Egmoiit (North) House the visitors numbered 2000, The track from the. radius line is now metalled for 3'/i miles, and is in good order. A small* accommodation house has been erected near Holly Flat/at a distance of about a mile from Bells' Falls, which will prove of great use to visitors. Stabling accommodation is now under course of construction, which will be a great boon, especially during the winter mouths. The question of telephone communication with New Plymouth is now engaging the attention of the committee; also an improved water supply. The Dawson's Falls (Southern) House —The past season has .been very successful, the number of visitors (3000) showing a substantial increase on the previous season. The track is in good order, some half mile or more having been metalled. A new detached cottage has been erected and suitably furnished, giving accommodation for parties of twelve in number. These detached cottages are very popular with visitors to tho mountain. A harness and feed room has also been built, proving a great convenience The tourist cottage (where the carstaker provides special accommodation) has been well patronis. d, and further expansion will shortly be required in this direction. At the Knliotu (Western) House the number oi visitors has been about 100. The tracks in.the vicinity are in good order, and a visit to this House will well repay visitors. The Stratford (East) House has been dismantled and is now being removed to a better side lower down the mountain, tlie old site being considered too exposed. When completed it is expected this House will be well patronised by visitors. A good deal of work has been done in the way of improving the side tracks connecting the various houses and Bell's Falls; these tracks when reached are excellent to travel on, tho grade being easy and the scenery well worth the trip. Tourist roads, etc.—Stratford House to Egmont House: A few repairs have been done on 3 miles 42 chains of bridle track. Upper Egmont: The metalling contract by Bayly and Sole has been completed. A further metalling contract let during the year to Mapp Bros. has also been finished. The whole road is now metalled to within 70. chains, of the North House. The work ing the year comprised 78 chains engineering survey and dray formation apd 1 mile 08 chains metalling, together will 4 miles 15 chains maintenance. Upjlr Pembroke: Between radius line ajju' crossing of mountain railway 87 chaJs have been widened to dray road, s«t lin of culverts constructed, 1 mile IS chains dray road and 2 miles 75 chains bridle track maintained. Dawsoni Falls: Messrs. Mapp Bros., under spc» cial contracts, have done 71 chains' metalling on this road. A length] of 3 miles 50 chains of dray road! has been maintained. Dawson's] Falls House to Stratford House: MainJ tcnance only on 1 mile 53 chains oft bridle track. Manaia (Upper): Under} grant to Stratford County Council this contract was finished and entered in! last year's returns . Egmont House tc| Bell's Falls: This track has been com! pleted, 3 miles 00 chains having beei opened during the year and the wholfe 0 miles 35 chains maintained. This track is in most places fit for rough; horse traffic, but this is not recommended until further improvements lire made. Rahotu House to Bell's Falls: This bridle track has been completed, 2 miles 38 chains having been done during the jcar and the whole length (| miles 38 chains) maintained," CORRESPONDENCE.

The Kaponga Town Board wrote asking if it could be represented ou t r ae Park Board.—lt was pointed ouf-that the method of appointments was by Statute, and the Board was unable to do anything in the matter. The frequent abscnco of the Opunakc Town Board's representative from the Board meetings was referred to, and it was decided to draw the attention of the Opunakc Town Board to the fact that through the absence of its nominee it was practically disfranchised, i A' suggestion was made that the Kapon-a and Opunakc Town Boards could come to some arrangement in the matter. A letter was read pointing out that | the Railway Department, wjlicli was; allowed to got ballast metal from tin Park was selling metal to local bodies. The Board decided that it was entitled to royalty on metal sold to local bodies and had. advised the ; Railway and Tourist Department of this. No satisfaction had been got from either-.Department and no information as to the metal sold had been received. It was decided to advise the jlhustcr of Railways as to the position of tilings. A letter .vaj received from a settlor, who lias a hol.img of 700 acres close to the Park, statiig that the wild cattle were conth uHy coming down and destroying his f trees as well 9S enticing us own cattle away. He wished to know if he cjiuld dostroy the wild cattle—The Board resolved that the matter was one which he himself could decide. He was also referred to tlie Impounding Act.

The Board decided that it could not grant perm'.ssiwi, as asked for by Mr. Faithful, to muster cattle i n the Monntain Reserve. O'tWi BUSINESS. The Government grant ui ,; •) was apportioned us fellows:—North .Mountain House £7O, East £4O, South" 170 West £2O. ' _ A grant of £lO from the Board's special fund was made to the East Mountain House. The action of the North Conrn'ttte in appointing Mr.. T. I!. Byan caretaker of the Xorth House was confirmed. . It was decided that iu future the. Board should hold four meetings iv year—in Dceemlier, March, J, m( f fla j September, at New Plymouth, Straiftrd. Elthain, and Hawcra, or, if possible at one of the houses. ' A number of new rules between tho Board and its eomniittees were discussed at length and adopted with ee.'tniii amendments. The balance -sheet presented s h,,.v P( l (hat the Board l„d a credit bala'ie» .f £S3 4s 4d. Accounts nnmililing to \C27.1 ,' )s rid were passed for payment.