“Taranaki Central Press” SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1937. A BEAUTIFYING SUGGESTION.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 365, 20 February 1937, Page 4

“Taranaki Central Press” SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1937. A BEAUTIFYING SUGGESTION.

In opening the Summer Show of the Stratford Beautifying Society yesterday afternoon, Mr. W. J. Polson, IVLP., made an excellent suggestion to the flower-growers and beauty-lovers present I the splendid display. The general excellence of the exhibits in the show was indicative of the fertility of the local soil and the careful tending of the beautiful blooms by enthusiastic gardeners. With the enthusiasm and skill of the Horticultural Society ets a basis, Mr. Polson suggested the formation of a Beautifying Society Io enhance the natural beauty of the countryside of Central Taranaki. Few districts in the Dominion had so much natural beauty; could not some effort be made to made to add to that?

Mr. Polson’s suggestion is worth serious consideration by those citizans whose outlook goes beyond the bounds of their own gardens. Stratford and Central Taranaki as a whole is not so beautiful that improvements could not be made. Within this borough we have beautiful parks, carefully tended and prized by every citizen. But the beauty of a town cannot be measured by the beauty of its parks. Wherever man settles, the utilitarian nature of his work destroys plant life and native pictuiesqueness. The aim of a Beautifying Society should be to restore th&t former glory.

That task would not be a difficult one for Stratford. The opportunities of work are everywhere apparent. All that is needed is the enthusiasm of the people. At first only a few will be found who will give their time and attention to the matter. But others would soon be impressed, and when once local beautiying work was started, then others would follow suit.

It would indeed be a tragedy if Mr. Polson’s words yesterday fell upon deaf ears. Those who so carefully and gently have tended the growth of the magnificent bloms which were on show at the Town Hall must surely be unselfish enough to wish to assist in any work of making o ur town and district more beautiful. The true gardener finds joy not only in the beauty or the grandeur of his own garden. He would make the world a garden, bringing joy and pleasure to the drabness of the lives of others. We cannot make the world a garden from Stratford, but we can make all Stratford a garden, and that is the suggestion of Mr. Polson, which we heartily commend.