ARBOR DAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 222, 19 August 1937, Page 4

ARBOR DAY.

COMMEMORATION CEREMONY,

The planting of two plane trees in Derby Street, at the corner of Kimbolton Road, yesterday afternoon, by the Mayoress (Mrs T. Collins) and Hon. J. G. Cobbe, M.P., marked the ..celebration of Arbor Day in Feilding. Among thoe who witnessed the brief ceremony were Crs. V. Smith and G. J- Fitzpatrick representing the Borough Council, and teachers and pupils from the Manchester Street, Lytton Street and Convent Schools, and a small representation of residents.

i The Mayor (Mr T. Collins), in a short address, said that Arbor Day was a day set aside for the planting of trees, and had been observed for many years throughout the world. As far as he knew the idea originated in Alberta, Canada. As far as Feeding was concerned, the planting of trees was not confined entirely to' Arbor Day, and the two trees to be planted were only a start in a scheme to plant the whole of Derby Street. The Mayor said it would be remembered that last year two trees were planted by the Mayoress in Denbigh Street; since then the whole street had been planted. The growth of the trees already planted had been excellent, and out of 100-odd trees only two had perished. The result of the effort had been creditable and well worth while. The Borough Council was anxious to extend the scheme to incorporate all the streets in the borough, and to that end the support and interest of residents was solicited. It was proposed to plant shrubs of a flowering nature in the shorter streets, and in time Feilding would be renowned for its vernal beauty. The Mayor asked the children present to take an interest in trees, and to cultivate civic pride. Referring to the previous speaker’s remark regarding the origin of Arbor Day, Mr Cohbe said that the financial schemes in Alberta- were not as successful as the Arbor Day one. Continuing, Mr Cobbe said that in the past many trees had been destroyed,

some for commercial purposes, some by lire, by disease and, unfortunately, some through wanton destruction.. It would be uifficult to replace them all, but he thought that five or 10 per cent, of them should be restored, tie could recall the time when Derby Street was just a mass of stumps, indicating that earlier in the history ol Feilding it had been part of a forest. It had been suggested to him that some of the streets could well • be planted with trees by school children. The idea would have the desired effect of making the younger generation “tree-minded.” He considered the Borough Council’s scheme a splendid one. He had noticed that at Kai Iwi, near Wanganui, the main street was planted with beautiful flowering shrubs.

Tree planting should go on until every street was graced with trees, Mr Cobbe added, and the idea of growing flowering shrubs in the smaller streets appealed to him. The ceremony concluded with the planting of the trees as mentioned, the Mayoress and Mr Cobbe being warmly applauded.