EGMONT NATIONAL PARK.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1921, Page 6

EGMONT NATIONAL PARK.

MEETING OF THE BOARD. A meeting of the Egmont National Park ; Board was held at Stratford yesterday. Present: Messrs. H. J. Lowe (Crown Lands Commissioner) in the chair, C. Goodson, J. B. Richards, T. R. Anderson, T. B. Crump, B. C. Lysaght, J. Garcia, J. R. Hill, E. Dingle, R. Dingle and H. Baily (secretary). Leave of absence was granted to Mr. S. Percy Smith.

The statement of balances showed that the bank balance at date was • £ll4l 12s 3d, viz., north £434 18s 7d, south £2Bl 3s 6d, east £36 2s 7d, west £l3 15s 2d, and board £37*5 12s sd. The board was committed to transfer £5O to the north, £5O to the south, £2O to the east, and £lO to the west if required, leaving a balance of £255 12s sd. The north was committed to expend £2OO on a reservoir and £2OO on the road, leaving a balance of £B4 18s 7d. South had to expend £2OO on the road or additions to the house. This left a balance of £13.1 3s 6d. Committees were elected as follows: South: Messrs. C. Goodson, B. C. Lysaght, T. B. Crump and P. W. Allen. East: Messrs. J. W. McMillan, A. W. Budge, S. Pitt, W. P. Kirkwood and J. B. Richards. North ■ Messrs. E. Dockrill, T. Avery, C. 11. Burgess, E. Dingle, F. Carrington, A. R. Standish and H. Baily. West: Messrs. W. C. Green, M. Hughson, J. Garcia, G. R. Tylee, H. M. Kitchingman and Cassie. ft was resolved that the sum of £36 4s lOd be voted to the western committee for expenditure on the track, making their amount available £5O. The secretary stated that after some difficulty he had had the £2OO grant re-instated on the estimates. The question of representation on-the National Park Board was discussed. It was pointed out that at the last meeting of the National Park Board a resolution had been passed recommending that the Inglewood and Eltham Counties and Kaponga Town Board should be given direct representation, but so far nothing had been done in the matter. The desirability of these local bodies having representation was re-af-firmed. .. .

On behalf of the south committee it was decided to apply to the Government for a grant of £4OO towards the expenses of erecting a new custodian’s cottage and other improvements at Dawson’s Falls house. This would give more room for the public at the present hostel.

Mr. J. B. Richards reported that during the summer good work had been done by the Public Works Department in forming the road from the top of the Pembroke Road to within 20 chains of the Mountain House. As soon as this road was metalled steps would be taken to erect an up-to-date hostel. Owing to the road work in progress the present cottage had been little used this season.

It was resolved to ask the Tourist Department to advertise the Egmont National Park more widely than in the past.

In connection with the damage caused by straying goats in the reserve, the chairman stated that a number of licenses had been issued to shogt goats. Mr. Lysaght considered that the permits were apt to be abused, as lie had seen men with guns in the vicinity of Dawson's Falls, where there were no goats. He thought the only remedy was to ’have them destroyed on the contract system. The matter was left in the <hands of the chairman and Mr. Hill.