A BUSH RESERVE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5082, 20 July 1895, Page 3

A BUSH RESERVE.

Mr Hogg made a warm appeal against the destruction of the forest reserve at the junction of the lianawatu and Tiraumea Rivera, near the Ngauaparua bridgo beyond P&hiatua, in the House on Thursday. The Minister proposed to cut 100 acres out of the centre of it, and Mr Hogg held that this would probably result in the destruction of the whole, in which case the Ngauaparua bridge (which cost £30,000 to £40,000), and the railway embankment would be endangered. The Land Board had repeatedly refused applications to break up this reserve, which the Commissioner regarded as most valuablo for science purposes, The reply of the Minister was evon more warm. He said that three or four

times during the last 12 months he had been asked to get land for .wiall settlements in that vicinity He was told it must be saved, as •T magnificent bit of scenery, but he found that the argument as to scenic purposes, was all rubbish The nearest part of the reserve was half a mile above the bridge. The fact was, the land wafl wanted for a run for one individual who was Bottled alongside, and v/ns pulling tho strings to prevent its beinj? given to anyone else. This announcement, warmly giTcn, waß received with cries of "Oh" and laughter, and the Speaker deprecated the introduction of debatable , matter. Mr M'Kenzie retorted that Mr Hogg had done that, and added that he wanted to cut the 100 acres up to settle ten settlers, and if, which he declined to admit, tho Railway Engineer was correct in saying the destruction of the reserve would endanger the bridge, he would leave that portion next tho rirer. Mr Hogg added that there was no objection to grazing rights being provided the bush was not Jfuched, but to introduce settlers tmd cut out the heart of tho reserve vfcnld end in the bush dying. The Wellington Land Board had already passed a resblutionof protest against the destruction of the reserve.— Pott.