Tongariro National Park Board, 1933–34
Report of Representative.

I have pleasure in reporting that in the annual report of the Park Board for the year ending 31st March, 1933, there has been inserted three brief reports on the wild life of the Park, the insects being dealt with by Mr G. V. Hudson, the birds by Mr W. R. B. Oliver, and the fishes by Mr W. J. Phillips. The printed report is before this Council for inspection.

An important feature of the report, which should be highly satisfactory to the Institute, is the statement of the Chairman of the Board. Mr W. Robertson, as follows:—

“Evidence is accumulating to show that some effective steps will have to be taken to counter the detrimental effects of housing animals within the parks. Some thousands of goats have been destroyed in the Egmont Park; but the total extermination of these animals cannot be effected without further funds with which to carry on the work. At Arthur Pass deer and chamois are damaging the mountain flora, and deer are becoming established in the forest on the western portion of Tongariro Park. Red deer are fairly numerous in portions of the Sounds National Park, while there is need for investigation into the effects of moose and wapiti in that region. The Department is convinced that deer and other plant-eating animals must be recognised and dealt with purely as a menace to our national parks and reserves, and not as a means of providing sport for a few persons or as an attraction for tourists. The welfare of the native flora must be the first consideration at all times.”

It is regrettable that in spite of this announcement regarding the importance of conserving the native flora, the necessity of considering the native fauna has apparently been disregarded, and the introduction of trout fry into the stream in the Park has been permitted by a majority vote of the full Board.

A full meeting of the Park Board, which was attended by your representative, was held in the Chateau on 26th January, which gave members of the Board an opportunity to inspect the considerable improvements effected at the Chateau under the management of the Tourist Department. The golf links have been considerably improved, and are a great feature of attraction. It is satisfactory to record that during the past year the Board has taken up a strong position in dealing with unauthorised cutting of timber in the Park and the eradication of certain exotic plants, lupins, which are spreading into the Park, and that the Board is taking steps to allow reliable persons to shoot deer within the boundaries of the Park in order to keep these animals in check as far as possible. A new decision of the Board is that instructions and directions for dealing with tussock, scrub, and bush fires on lines suggested by Mr E. Phillips-Turner shall be posted up along the road frontages of the Park.

B. C. Aston,