BLUEGUMS AT DOMAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 280, 7 March 1941, Page 4

BLUEGUMS AT DOMAIN

Sir, —The thanks of your readers are due to Mr Fivers for informing us that the bluegums which give such a distinctive appearance to the Whakatane Domain were planted about 1872 by Whalcatane's first school master, Mr R. O. Stewart. What a pity that Mr Stewart received no reward in this world for his good deed. Surely he deserves well of this progressive district. I read in another column that there are 11,000 people in the Whakatane police district. Weil let us all take off our 11.000 hats to Mr Stewart (T presume he is long since dead) and sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." And so he was, as every motorist who use the official A.A. camping \ place must agree. Now here is my suggestion, Mr Editor: these trees have reached three score years and ten, so are old enough to draw the Social Security old age benefit. All right then. Let someone give honour where honour is due and place a suitable notice board in the Domain with a wording such as this: Historic gum trees: These trees were planted about 1872 by Mr R. O. Stewart, Whakatane's first school master, who thereby beautified the Towr> Domain for the benefit of future generations." Don't you agree* that something should be done, Mr Editor? Soon the old generation of Whakfiiane settlers will pass the way of all flesh, and then no one will know who planted those trees and when. Some future municipal councillors will probably chop the trees down, jusl as a past council proposed to smash up the Rock for road metal. It is not much use expecting our present Borough Council to notice such small things as 70 year old trees, as they have their eyes glued on the ground. Perhaps you ; might discuss this with our local A.A. patrol officer. I notice that the A.A. puts up signposts where there are historic spots, as witness the' military mile pests on the Great South Road near Auckland. I feel sure that the A.A. (which has an appreciation of things historical and beautiful) would set its sign writer to work and erect a niotf yellow and black sign at the camping site. Then all who run can read. May I conclude with a quotation from a song popular on concert platform and radio: "Poems are made by fools like me But only God can make a tree." It may be claimed with all fairness, I think, that the trees in the Domain are the finest living things in Whakatane (present company in the form of the BEACON'S thousands of readers not excepted). Yours etc., TREE LOVER.