PLANTING THE CITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 483, 16 April 1909, Page 4

PLANTING THE CITY.

, In advocating that the sombre hills that frown upon the ■ city should be planted, and its.waste corners made beautiful with flowers and shrubs, Dr. Newmanj one of the candidates for the' Mayoralty, to , remove what has long been a reproach to Wellington. This city has advanced sufficiently in commercial and utilitarian: directions to be ablo to give - a little attention now to those aesthetic considerations which have been too much neglected in the past. It would not be a less reasonable ambition to have the : most beautiful streets and finest plantations of. any city in the Dominion, than to have tho most, up-to-date deetrUc* tor and best drainage system. Hitherto the concern of Wellington has been only for those utilitarian- servicesj' and> the reputation which it ha 9 gained for their completeness and modernity,- though in itself, a .legitimate cause for :pride, \ has been acquired at the expense of less , matorial considerations. The:beautiful siir? foundings of a city,: which reflect thoir influence upon the character of its inhabitants, aro by no means unimportant or meetto-.be ignored. , The fact that "tho body is more than raiment I .' does'not induce anyone to go without clothing, and becauso Wellington/is rightly proud of its general municipal services is no reason.why it should be satisfied with an approach to its harbour which has been compared, for hilly barrenness, to the Strait of 'Bab-el-Mandeb.' The rapid; development of the city, and the difficulties which its'citizens have had to overcome in making it a centre of population, and.commerce, are thoihest excuses that can bo urged for its backwardness ;in aesthetic respects. '''■.. - ■ •■" :'■■■ '.':'', ';.'■'■ ;

■.'■■" A .modern city, ,? Me. FrEderio HarrlSon'has said, "is the embodiment of indefinite change, tho : unlimited put-suifc of new investments and quick 'returns, and-of evorybody doing what he finds to. pay best. The idea of patriotism, art culture, Social organisation, religion—as identified .with the city, springing out of •iifc, stimulated by it—is an idea above the conception of modern men." >But: Mr.' HarrlsM himself.'admits,noji a few exceptions to his general, condemnation; and the example 6f fine plantations, beautiful avenues of trees, and the disguise of natural ugliness which has been set, not only by many European and Australian cities, but also by other cities in New Zealand, might well bo followed by' Wellington. Many of our local streets, no doubt, are too narrow for the growth of trees, buVa good deal could bo done, and the gradual planting of the hillsides, and covering with. vegetation of; the blotches that disfigure the cliff faces, are works that might. be ! put in hand.without delay and at no appreciable cost. Dr.. Newman thinks that the slopes: of- Mount Victoria should bo first replanted) and ho considers that the scheme could be successfully put in hand for an ture of £300 a year.; Some day, no doubt, there' would bo a small revonuo from timber, suchas the Ohristchurch Domain Board derives, and, in any case, the improvement which would be effected in the appearance and attractiveness of the pity,, always supposing that expert advice were taken and the riglit trees planted, would.far exceed in valuo such a small expenditure. Climatic and health advantages aro also known to follow the plantation of trees in and around cities, and the development-of a "city beautiful," in place of a city which, however picturesque from some points of view, is too often stigmatised as ugly, might encourage, among other things, that civic pride in residents of Wellington, with the want of which thoy have been often twitted.'