The Daily News THURSDAY, JULY, 26. ARBOR DAY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8165, 26 July 1906, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, JULY, 26. ARBOR DAY

To-day is supposed to be celebrated in Nevv Plymouth as " Arbor Day." Unfortunately, however, the day which deserves to be recognised us one of the most utilitarian of our many holidays, is somewhat of an anachorism. If the people could only be brought to realize what tho practical recognition of the day would mean to future New Zealand, such a condition would speedily be a thing of the past. Tho advance ol civilisation, with the axeman's blade, is gradually, but none the less surely detrimentally hampering the exercise of the beneliccnt forces of Nature with which our country has beeu so bountifully endowed. Students of nature assure us that tor our salubrious clime and copious rainfall we are indebted in no small degree to our forest-eoverou expanses. Uur magnificent forests, more especially on tho plains where iheir moislure-attra;ting properties are oE almost indispensable value, are disappearing at a rate that within a very short space of time must witness their almost litter extinction. What is being done to compensate for Nature's spurucd patronage F More important still: What provision is being made to make good the denu lation—ruthless in thousands of cases—of our greai forests of building material 'i ere the present century has run its centennial span, if the present ruthless destruction of bush continue, our natural forests will have passed into oblivion —ashes and decaying buildings. The peculiar enchantment of these isles is in a pre-eminent degree owing to iheir maguiliceut forest and woodland scenery Happily, ere it was too late, comprehensive steps were taken to

preserve to the colony and posterity, remnants of our fust disappearing natural forest and flora beauty. Tbi Legislature has also given attention lc ilie utilitarian and commercial side ol ■ lie question, and brought into operlii.m a Forestry Department which ,iis drill on .U'aU'd the success ot re-

fuiv.-lrjl ■.">:!. inducements arc also held out 11 land-owners to plant theii .vas'c land with trees of commercial worth. Bj far as thi< policy has gone, it has been very siim-si-iiil, out mor, vigorous mca>u.vs m.i.s! b- undertaken and c:-f"r.'cil. Tli/tv aiv hundreds ol .housiuds of waste 1.iu.l in New Zealand thai couid be turned" to proiilablt account by jorestration, Much of thai laud belongs to the Crown, and is of a description tkat is not likely, for many generations, to witness a change ol ownership. Tke Forestry Department has a great sphere of usefulness before it in acclimatising and adapting to the varying soils of these waste lauds, ores that in the future may be turned to profit by the Colony, Young Aen Zealand should be educated to a realisation of the value of tree planting. Arbor day was meant, in a measure, to supply that education. It has, howover, fallen into disuse aud disrepute, but only requires rejuvenating. Appeal to the artistic side of the children's nature by tho planting of trees aud shrubs for town and home beautification. In this respect New Plymouth is undoubtedly better endowed by nature than tke majority of New Zealand towns, but there is room for improvement. The celebration of Arbor D.\.y should not be 1-,-ft to school committees and sckool teachers lo celebrate if they feel so inclined. The various local bodies, especially in a town, the Borough Council, should lntercst.thoiuselves in the matter, and turn Arbor Day, with the assistance of the children, 11 significant account. The State might likewise utilise tke willing energies of its youthful citizens by setting aside, in the vicinity of every settlement, am waste land it may have suitable for the purpose. The State, moreover, would the more speedily popularise- its ail'orestralion scheme, and turn to speedier profitable account its foresl nurseries, if it supplied the trees free tor use wherever wanted. We offer the suggestion as one that would quickly make Arbor Day the mosl prolitabie of our holidays alike to the holiday-makers and the Colony.