CORRESPONDENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1928, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE

EGMONT NATIONAL PARK. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The report published in the Daily News of Dr. Hill's observations and recommendations regarding the above forest reserve eall for more than a passing glance. It clearly shows that the hour for definite action has come. A year or two ago one was treated with diffidence and looked at askance when reference was made to the inestimable value to the province of the perpetuation of the forest upon the mountain. Thanks, however, to the pertinacity of a few, public interest is slowly awakening to the fact that one of our most essential and valuable assets is threatened, if the pest is not effectually checked, with ultimate extinction. Not the least to whom the public owes a debt of gratitude for a timely word of warning are Mr. E. Maxwell, of Rahotu, and Mr. T. C. List, chairman of the Egmont Park Board. The columns of the Daily News have also ever been open to bring the condition and care of the park to the notice of the publie. This repeated effort is', now bearing fruit, and the public now understand more than ever before how valuable is the forest to the productiveness and prosperity of the province. But they still only to some extent recognise that it is necessary to take sueh steps at once which shall for all time place the Park Board in a position that whatei .r menace arises there will be funds sufficient to cope with it. Probably the “goat menace” is not yet fully understood by the public, but when it is again affirmed that goats, which are rapidly multiplying in the northwestern portion of the reserve, strip young trees of their bark (a tree has but to be completely circled in barking to finally die) it will be seen how serious the menace really is. With such ideal feed and surroundings in a short time, if left alone, such hordes would breed and thrive that they would spread not only around the whole mountain, but as the increasing numbers would denude the forest of suitable food, out on to the fanning lands adjacent to the reserve. One has only to read Dr. Hill’s report and see the reference to the destruction to the native flora of St. Helena to understand that unless drastic action is taken to exterminate the nuisance we will soon find our mountain slopes in a similar condition. Much work or labour which a statesman advocates often may not appear essential in his generation, and so many people may not see the logic of worrying over a condition which will not be apparent for 20 to 50 years hence. This latter view, however, is the reasoning of the primitive mind. As civilisation has advanced, more and more men urged reforms which they realised would never benefit the race in their own time, but understanding, the necessity for the reform, they have tenaciously kept on to success, so that posterity may reap the reward. The foundation stones of our Empire have in many instances been laid under these circumstances. To-day, we in our land enjoy freedom and prosperity, the heritage which our forbears worked and strove for, but which they never enjoyed. However, in the present instance, on our side the forest is. here, a gift from heaven to the people of the province, and now it is for us to see that that blessing is kept intact for the generations to come. The surest indication of soundness and prosperity in either an individual or a nation is the provision wjiieh is being made for the future. As I have already stated, the time has eome for us to act in relation to securing absolute safety for the preservation of the forest upon the mountain. Upon it we depend for conservation of our rainfall, the successful continuity of our electrical system, and even to some extent our climate.

At the present moment we have a board quite alive to the necessity for immediate action, but impotent to act because its source of revenue is so restricted that it is impossible for it to launch a scheme wide sweeping and effective.

The time is now here when every local body and all persons interested should place the matter forcibly before the Government asking of it either direct subsidy to the Park Board or the employment of Forestry Department officers whose duty it will be to range and police the reserve. I may, sir, with your permission, say a word on what in my opinion I deem necessary. I think firstly that the whole reserve should be sectioned, some districts being known as goat-infested and others presumably clear. The road around the moss line should be completed sufficiently for passable foot traffic, and next a foot track should be cut around the radius line. From the radius line tracks at various points (presumably along mountain stream banks) would be cut to connect with the track on the moss line. Using North Egmont as a example, I would say that there would be a track up the Waiwakaiho, up the Oakura and the Stony River, and so on around the mountain. Probably in the south-western, south and southeastern portions one man would be sufficient to police the whole, but rangin'* from north of the Oaonui to probably that portion due east, at present several men would be necessary to hunt down the goats. By systematic use of the tracks as I have defined them, in time I feel sure that the scourge would be localised and finally stamped out. To get the necessary funds I emphatically state that they should be provided out of Consolidated Revenue. By numbers, by industry and initiative, the people of Taranaki now contribute sufficient to H gquntry’s revenue that it would be

no injustice to now receive back annually a sum which would place the Park Board in a position to thoroughly protect its trust. Thanking you for your valuable space, [ am, etc., J. S. TOSLANP. JEihama, April