ARBOR DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 181, 22 July 1908, Page 2

ARBOR DAY.

To-day is the anniversary of Arbor Day. but to very few indeed does the holiday,' amongst lliose who observe it, retain its Hue sigiiiliciince. Created for the most laudable of purposes, that of enthusing the people in the question of all'oresf.ition, it has practically fallen into disuse through lack of leadership. To the best of our belief, the committee of the Kent Koad school is the only body in this district that to-day is attempting anything in Ihe nature of comprehensive tree-planting. This is not as it should be, as future generations will have cause to regret. ]<cw people pause to consider what the denudation of the land through the murderous destruction o£ our forests will mean. Apart altogether from the increasing difficulty of obtaining building iimtcvini, the disappearance of the forests has a far-reaching effect on the climate, and in a direction that will not tend lo increase tin' productivity of the soil. In this island the disappearance of the primeval bush has mil yet proceeded to an extent sufficient to u, a i <( . its loss sufficiently apparent, but Ihe lesson of other countries is one we should lake to heart before the damage ' is reparable. If the people of the country, with a reckless disregard for the future, continue to show 'no desire to follow the example set by the Slate in planting waste lands, son'ie measure -if compulsion will probably be ultimately adopted. It is in the interests of the State that tree-planting should be encouraged. It is hard to get the average man to see the utility of sowing that which he cannot reap, as must be the case of afforestation if the better 1 classes of \"c\v Zealand and foreign timbers are to lie cultivated. The State, therefore, should olfc,- some direct encouragement to the people to ohserv Arbor Day as it was intended lo be ob served. The State forest ~-v Department annually cultivates mnnv thrtn-ands of utility forest trees, most of which, we presume, are planted out by the occupants of the prison camps. We helie\c if the State nurseries were greatlv extended and trees supplied at the cost of the Stale lo farmers and others. a r,.« years would see the disappearance of our original forests compensated for. The question is one of great national importance, and as Mich demands more at. tenlion at the hands of the Government, who are i u Hie best portion t.. give (be lead that is necessary to ciNiire'siiccc-s.