PARITUTU.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 May 1921, Page 4

PARITUTU.

At the meeting of the Paritutu Protection League on Wednesday Mr. W. H. Skinner stated that he could see no way whereby they could hold up the destruction of Paritutu, and that unless the league could bring forward something tangible they would only be beating the air; that it was not possible to have Paritutu set aside as a scenic reserve except by special Act of Parliament, and that the land was set aside by the Provincial Government “as an endowment for the purpose* of constructing a harbor”; therefore it could not be sold, or the trust disposed of. In view of these facts there exists no ground for continuing the League’s operations, especially as the land on which Paritutu stands was made an endowment for furthering the particular work for which the rock is now being used. The enthusiasm of the members of the league was not quenched by these adverse factors, and they intend to persevere in their efforts, but when it comes to arousing the hostility of the natives, the matter assumes a different aspect. Possibly it is considered that a desperate cause justifies desperate means, but it will probably be generally considered that the meeting was ill advised to introduce native sentiment into the controversy. The natives are quite capable of making their views heard without being worked up by the pakehas, and it is bad policy to deliberately use the natives in order to create trouble over a matter in which the rising generation and its successors are unlikely to take the slightest interest. Paritutu is at last fulfilling the mission for which it was transferred to the Harbor Board. .By all means let. the suggestion. to publish a history of this rock be carried out. That should fully meet the case, satisfy sentiment, preserve the ancient value of the landmark, and leave it to play the far more important part of assisting in the development of the port, as well as the progress and prosperity of the province. As we have before remarked, all deplore its disfigurement, but what is the alternative? It is either the extension of the breakwater, absolutely essential if the port is to progress; or the preservation of Pari-tu-tni. There is unfortunately no alternative. We only hope the engineers will not have occasion to utterly destroy the landmark.