The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, June 25, 1912. ARBOR DAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1061, 25 June 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, June 25, 1912. ARBOR DAY.

Arbor Day is approaching, which reminds the local public that attention should be given to beautifying portions ol the town by planting suitable trees and shrubs. In some boroughs beautifying societies exist, and their efforts are responsible for charming and well cultivated beauty spots —which add greatly to the attractiveness of what otherwise would be waste places. Foxton has a few localities which could be maue very attractive, and at comparatively little cost. For instance, the triangle at the intersection of Main Street and the Avenue should be extended to connect with the old cemetry, and the latter beautified. The old burial ground is Maori property and is held sacred, and nothing will be done by the owners to improve its present unlovely appearance. The owners however, are prepared to vest the property in the borough, under certain conditions, and u this matter were tackled in the right spirit by the civic authorities, there need not be any unnecessary delay in getting the transfer fixed up. Victoria Park is shametully neglected and something should be done to make it more attractive. The borough is not richly endowed with reserves, but it possesses upwards of acres, which teturu a revenue of about per annum. As revenue received irom reserves must be spent on the further improvement of same, such sum, supplemented by a grant from the Council would be sufficient to meet the expenditure ot a beautifying scheme. Only a few of the trees planted along Park Street have taken root, and perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. Avenues of tall trees in narrow streets are not very desirable. They may provide cooling shelter in summer, but in the winter the roads become covered with slush inches deep. In any case one side of the street would be quite sufficient for planting. It is questionable whether the Council will incur further expense in this connection. As we have previously hinted, the extension of the triangle and Victoria Park should receive attention if anything is to be done in the beautifying line this year.