THE PUTARURU PRESS. Office ----- Main Street ’Phone 28 – – – P.O. Box 44 (Lewis, Portas and Dallimore’s Buildings.) THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1926. “SPARE THE TREE.”

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 136, 10 June 1926, Page 4

THE PUTARURU PRESS. Office ----- Main Street ’Phone 28 - - - P.O. Box 44 (Lewis, Portas and Dallimore’s Buildings.) THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1926. “SPARE THE TREE.”

SEVERAL complaints have been made to this office in regard to the destruction of a large ornamental tree growing- by the wayside on one of the bystreets of the town. The rights and wrongs of the case do not concern us at the moment. What was a few days ago a source of delight to very many residents in the town is now nothing more or less than a heap of firewood in someone's backyard. Many people can only visualise such trees as so many cords of wood, or so many hundreds of feet of timber, and it is to this aspect to which we would draw attention.

Severe economic pressure has been responsible for many deeds of vandalism, and an unrestrained and materialistic outlook has also to be charged with many culpabilities. Constant vigil and ceaseless propaganda is necessary to maintain the balance, else there would be little beauty left in the oftimes drab world. Cambridge, Tauranga, and many other towns have earned a big reputation on account of the foresight of the early pioneers who planted trees judiciously that are now grown to noble proportions. Citizens of hundreds of other towns not so fortunately situated are expending much time and money in an endeavour to beautify the environs of their home town, for no settlement can. have a finer asset. In many such places the battle is a hard one for a public pride in such forms of beauty has to be created. In view of this it is pleasing to record the regret which has been expressed by residents of Putaruru over the destruction of but one tree, for in view of the fact that the township is about to undertake its own civic responsibilities, it certainly augurs well for the future. Putaruru lends itself admirably for beautification, and it is to be hoped that one of the first acts of the new town board will be to appoint a beautifying committee.