A FINE TALLY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 23, 27 July 1939, Page 5

A FINE TALLY

OVER 20,000 TREES

BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY'S PLANTINGS

FOUR YEARS' WORK

In the four yeai's since the inception of the Wellington Beautifying Society 29,000 trees had been planted on public-owned land in and about Wellington, said the president, Captain S. S. Holm, at the annual meeting in the lecture hall of the Dominion Museum last night. A proportion had not survived, but over 21,000 young trees were growing as a result of the society's efforts.

Plantings, said Captain Holm, had been made on the Hutt Road, at Point Halswell, the Marine Drive, Brooklyn, Ohiro Bay Road, Mount Victoria, Roseneath, Evans Bay Road, Island Bay, and Island Bay Island. The society had also several smaller achievements to its credit, such as the conversion of North Terrace, Kelburn. from an unkempt strip of wsed-covered road into a beautiful dell of rhododendrons and other flowering plants, the improved entrance to the Public Hospital, the small plantation in Post Office Square, the native shrubbery on the east end of Mount Victoria tunnel, the west side of Ruahine Street, and several other plots, all of which had improved the appearance of the city. When the society's nursery at Point Halswell came into full cultivation next year they should have 20,000 seedlings annually for replanting. During the past year the big effort had been towards the purchase of Johnston's Hill as a pub^c reserve. The Karori Progressive Association joined in the effort and had rendered great assistance. The objective had not yet been obtained, as about £200 was required to finalise the purchase. MEMBERSHIP AND • ASSISTANCE. "The membership of the- society at the inaugural meetings in July, 1935, was 67." said the president. "Today it is 330, and one wonders why our membership is so small in a city of this size. However, we have received donations from over 600 friends and well-wishers, and have been able, with their support, to finance our schemes. Up to date the society has received in subscriptions and donations the sum of £894 5s 5d (not including the £586 fcr the Johnston's Hill fund and £51 3s for the rhododendron dell), and the public can rest assured that every | penny is spent to the best advantage in i furthering our objectives." The many gifts of seedlings and seeds were always welcome at the nursery, in regard to which the society had a valued friend in the Prisons Department in assistance in the cultivation of the Mount Crawford nursery. The Hon. W. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, had-been most helpful [in providing labour for the society's I needs and to the Hon. R. Semple and the Public Works Department were due special thanks for the great service they were rendering the public by the planting and beautification of new highways. The Railway Department's General Manager, Mr/ G. H. Mackley, and the forestry officer, Mr. iHansen, were also assisting in beautification work, and had this y.ear plant--led the hill faces on the Hutt Road at Kaiwarra and the newly-constructed ramp. "Unfortunately, the Department is also busily planting hoardings along the Hutt Road, thereby undoing a lot of the good work done," Captain Holm added. The most ready assistance given by the reserves and city engineer's department of the City Council and the special assistance given by Mr. E. G. Sundgren were particularly mentioned. Mr. W. H. Field warmly congratulated the society upon the work it was doing, particularly in its effort to have Johnston's Hill preserved as a native bush reserve and at the Point Halswell nursery. A special vote of thanks and appreciation was accorded the Director of Parks ■ and Reserves, Mr. J. G. MacKenzie, for his interest and practical assistance. He was elected honorary adviser, a post which he had in fact willingly filled from the beginning, said Captain Holm. Mr. MacKenzie said that he had the highest opinion of the work of the 1 society, not merely for what it had done in actual planting, but in the happy reaction in the public mind, for without question the people of Wellington were today far more interested in improving and beautifying their city. The year has ended with £95 in hand. Donations or seedlings and seeds will be welcomed by the society, ' care of the secretary, Mr. D. R. Porter, • Dominion Farmers' Institute Building, jßox 783, Wellington. OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY. The officers of the society for the year were elected as follows:—Patron, Mrs. Knox Gilmer; president, Captain Holm; vice-presidents, Lady Myers, Mesdames C. Haines, and C. Stewart, Sir James Grose, Sir George Shirtj cliffe, Hon. W. E. Parry, the Mayors |of Wellington and nearby local authorities. Messrs. B. Sutherland, W. Duncan, F. W. Dawson, L. O. H. Tripp, S. Blackley, R. L. Macalister, A. H. Miles, and C. C. Odlin; general committee. Mesdames Dv Pont, C. Haines, !j. H. McHaren, H. de Pine, Miss L. Hayes, Messrs. D. Bowie, R. L. Macalister, A. de B. Brandon, Sinclair, J. Hannah, H. S. B. Fletcher, H. L. Cummings, T. G. Coven^y, D. Grocott, H. H. Miller, W. Murie, W. L. Palmer, C. Penlington, S. Natusch, and W. xi. Field; technical adviser, Mr. J. G. MacKenzie; secretary-treasurer, Mr. D. R. Porter; auditor, Mr. S. M. Hobbs. At the conclusion of the formal business an interesting talk upon New Zealand trees was given by Mr. W. R. B. Oliver, Director . of. , the Dominion Museum, illustrated by lantern slides.