VANDALISM

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 412, 22 December 1932, Page 4

VANDALISM

i : | Strong measures will be justilied to deal with the vandals who have recently been responsible for several irresponsible and ; stupid acts of damage in the borj ough. Rotorua is particularly well endowed with public reserves and gardens and citizens may take a justifiable pride in their heritage. Unfortunately i however, there is in every com- | munity a number of persons who, having no appreciation of the duties and responsibilities which citizenship imposes upon them, wantonly damage and deface work which has in many cases taken years to build up. The persons responsible for the damage to the ornamental trees in Tutanekai Street, reported in our news columns this morning, come within this eategory. These street trees are one of the chief glories of Rotorua and every effort should be made to preserve them and to carry out further street beautiflcation by tree planting. With this end in view, the Borough Council has had comprehensive plans prepared and although the form of these may present debatable features, they still represent the common desire to beautify and improve the appearance of the streets. A great deal of the good work which might be achieved in this direction, however, will be undone by wanton acts of damage such as those reported in Tutanekai Street. There is not even the justification of acquisitiveness in an act which kills a tree. Ordinary theft is more understandable. It is to be hoped that the most searching inquiries will be made to bring the offenders to book and that they will be given an exemplary lesson when apprehended.