ARBOR DAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 868, 21 July 1910, Page 2

ARBOR DAY.

« CELEBRATION AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL.

At the last meeting of the Borough Council it was decided not to take any action in the matter of celebrating Arbor Day, and had it not been for the action of the School Committee the day would have been allowed to pass without a single tree being planted locally. At the present time local school grounds are being beautified by the planting of flowers and shrubs in that portion leading from the school buildings to Park street, and the School Committee, acting on the suggestion of the Education Board, decided to celebrate Arbor Day by further planting suitable trees and shrubs in this portion of the grounds. Although the time at their disposal was very limited, all arrangements possible for the affair were made and the necessary plants and shrubs procured. Notwithstanding the very short notice to the effect that the cele-y bration was to take place there was a fair gathering of prominent citizens at the school yesterday morning, when the children were assembled in front of the building. The headmaster, Mr P. G. Jackson, addiessed them. His speech was appropriate to the occasion,J dealing with the necessity for planting trees to replace those being cut down, otherwise the Dominion would, in the near future, become a treeless country. After the headmaster’s address, the cadets saluted the flag and the first verse of the National Anthem was sung by all present.

Speeches were afterwards delivered by the Chairman of the School Committee (Mr Hornblow), His Worship the Mayor (Mr Stiles), Dr Mandl (President of the Chamber of Commerce) and Mr Hennessy (Chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board). Mr Hornblow, in his address' to the children, congratulated them on their appearance, and said that as a youth he had been present at the first celebration of Arbor Day in New Zealand. This took place in Greytown, and the credit of introducing Arbor Day in New Zealand was due to Mr W. C. Nation, now a resident of Levin, who first conceived the idea for this Dominion. From that very small start the movement had grown until at the present time the day was celebrated in practically every quarter of the Dominion. He said that as one of those who had planted a tree on that occasion, he always took a great interest in it, and he expressed the hope that those who were doing the planting on this occasion would take the same interest in the trees they planted. He then called upon His Worship the Mayor to say a few words. Mr Stiles expressed his pleasure at being present and congratulated the children on the very good progress they had made in the matter of improving the appearance of the school grounds. He eulogised the teaching staff and committee and expressed pleasure at the interest the pupils were evincing in horticulture.

Dr. Mandl endorsed the remarks made by the previous speakers and also referred at some length to the meaning of the words arbor and deforestation and explained the necessity for planting trees to replace those that were being destroyed. He hoped the children would enjoy the holiday, which he understood it was intended to grant in the afternoon. Mr Hennessy, in the course of his remarks, said that it had just crossed his mind after seeing the number of children that were present, what a great amount of good could be done in the direction of dealing with the good tracts oj?

country that were at present nohting but sand drifts by each child planting even one plant of marram grass each year. In this way the spread of sandrifts could |be stopped. He passed the suggestion on to the committee and if it were acted on he would suggest that land which was public property, harbour endowments etc., could be started on, say next Arbor Day.

The Chairman of the Comnjittee said Mr Hennessy’s suggestion was a good one and he hoped next ?year to accompany the children to {the heads for the purpose of [ making practical use of the sug- | gestion. He concluded by stating I that it had been decided to declare [the afternoon a holiday for the I children.

Mr Jackson thanked those who were present for their attendance, after which cheers were given for the teaching staff and committee. The planting of the trees which had been purchased was then carried out under the supervision of Mr Jackson, and the children were afterwards granted a holiday for the rest of the day.