Kowhai "And All That"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 173, 9 August 1937, Page 3

Kowhai "And All That"

ARBOR.

Sir,— "What do we know of New Zealand who only New Zealand know." Our minds, if not our bodies, must travel overseas if we would understand the real value placed by the world on New Zealand: that is to say the real botauical value, Lq£ me quote from one of the bestknown botanical books: "Plants of New Zealand" by Laing and BJackwell: — "The flora of New Zealand is so highly specialised, that these islands are generally considered to constitute a distinct botanical region. . . . In spite, however, of the fact that our flora is one of the most interesting on the face of the earth, there are very few who have any real acquaintanceship with it .... New Zealand has developed many plants and animals unknown in any other part of the world. Indeed, three-fourths of the indigenous species of flowering plants nre not to be met with elsewhere .... Of the 1400 flowering plants whieh New Zealand contains, about three-quarters are found nowhere else." To one who loves New Zealand and her plants these are thrilling facts. To all who live in New Zealand they must be of some interest. To us in Hastings what do they mean? Among those people who do love and value our native plants and who take a proper pride in them, there has grown up a large Forest Protection Society. They have used as our national emblem a forn and have named as our National Flower tho Kowhai. Sir, it would be interesting tosfind out how mauy children iu Hastings could uarne or recognise that flower or its tree. The writer has had some experience in talking to Women 's Institutes and to Girl Guides of these things and among the latter, of Standard VI. or of High School age, there would be possibly two who could narne New Zealand's national flower when they saw it. And in our own High School grounds are two as good specimens of beautiful youug Kowhai as I havo seen. Iu Cornwall Park there has been a fine attempt, in the past, to keep a portion for native trees. A Kowhai or two, Matipos, the lesser tea-tree (cordyline australis), Tarata, etc. Also being cared for and labelled by the prcsent caretaker is a small collection of some of tho 80 varieties of nativo Yeronica. There have also been as fine examples as oue could wish to see of our evergreen Lacebark or Hoheria in the centro of our town. In the Maori .settlement beyond the showgrouud there is a sturdy young kauri. In Te Mata Park just lately Mr. F. E. Smith has planted some thirty new young kowhai. (To say nothing of the beautiful rescrve of bush at Tangoio, within an easv motov-drive for most of us). ■ Mr. Hutcliinson has dorie niuch to tui' er the love and interest of native bush and plants in Hawlce's Bay. There is a Trampers' Club and there is a botanist in Havelock who has studied under Dr. Cockayno and who passes niuch of his knowledge on. Bufc what are we doing ourselves? Hastings ia a flourishing and nrospsr-.

ous town. She has built up many fine buildings. She is now preparing for various changes. A new anfl differently placed rallway station. A Yery important bit of ground near the showground is to be re-planted. An equally important bit at the entrance to Hastings is also awaiting re-planting. I say, Mr. Editor, that we must make some effort to educate our children and to save our town in the years to come from indifference to things of such outstanding importance. One might just as well say that one does not care 101 our own mother's face as not care for the flora of our own native land. And to say that one "hates kowhai,*' the national flower of the land of our birth or adoption, shows that something is wrong sbmewhere. That is won't flourish here is another mistake. Anything more beautiful than that ancient grove of kowhai gleaming golden in the sun, alive with the joyous song and flutterings of some dozeus of tuis, fantails and riros, and as old probably as the said-to-bo Moriori dug-outs that exist in some privatelyowned hills some ten miles from Hastings, I havo yet to see. At-that place also I have seen the Kukupa. "In the midst, iridescent and glowing, Full-breasted bead-eyed, Wood-pigeons; that is all, Cooing and wooing. / _ And even once a I saw a flight of tiny, tailless, most rare riflemen; as well as twice, a shining euckoo. ^ Sir, I want to say that we in Hastings should do at least as well as our sister-town of Napier, who has planted on its cliff edge and ou its new seafront so many beautiful pohutukawas and ngaios respeetively, most emineutly suitable to such places. I suggest, Sir, that our Reserves Committee and our Progress League (whieh has a membersliip of some 250 people) get togcther and plant extensively, in the outstanding positious abovo-inentioiicd as about I to bo planted, our solf-chosen national flower, the KOWHAI, eminently suitod to these parts, interspersed with matipo or other suitable native shrub, and so make a lasting aud suitable effort to show appreciatiou of that flora whieh in the "march of progress" has had to be so much destroyed that our own children know very little' of even its existintrs. — Yours oto

■ciasungs, J ulv L'9, 1937.