ADJECTIVAL!

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 865, 8 January 1930, Page 1

ADJECTIVAL!

Visitors Not Encouraged By Lone Builder TREE GROWING IN SHOP “Of course I’m going to cut it down. Any man in his senses would know that. Who ever heard of leaving a tree in a building. It 'ud die!” The Lone Builder spoke peevish!}-.’ And no wonder. Reporters are really such silly, annoying fellows. But then, what could one expect from a newspaperman . . .? The Lone Builder snorted. The conversation opened so simply. An inquisitive Sun man who strolled along Hepburn Street, Ponsonby, was surprised and intrigued by the sight of a tree ; flourishing in the window space of a small shop which was being built. With pleasant memories of the Hotel Bristol, in Cairo, where the trees grow in to the dining room, The Sun man decided to inquire into the whys and wherefores. But the builder was not helpful. In fact, he was most sarcastic. The shop is being built by one man. The outside walls have been erected and are now being plastered. The interior is a mass of scaffolding, but the verandah projecting over the footpath appears to be finished. The tree which first drew attention to the building is' growing in the space which will probably be later occupied by window and door. After gazing ,at the tree for some time the reporter climbed over the palings and wandered along the scaffolding to where a man was busy plastering. He was not welcome. “Do you intend leaving the tree growing in the shop like that?” innocently inquired the reporter. "Of course I do. it’s a- ornament” (sarcastically). “I thought it au uuusual way to start building, leaving a tree growing like that and building around it, and I thought I would ask. Why didn’t you cut it down before?” “I haven't got the time. It might take half a day and 1 had enough trouble with some other trees that were there. The building’s more important, isn’t it?” The reporter said he thought it was, and looked inquiringly at the Lone Builder. “I try to get on with it and the rain comes. When the rain finishes I have another start, and the holidays come. Then on Saturday I start again and more rain comes. Now I get a fine day and fools come asking why I leave a tree growing in the front.” The Lone Builder; snorted again, applied a match to a blackened pipe, and closed tbe interview with an ironical “Good-bye.”