ARBOR DAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2392, 6 August 1892, Page 2

ARBOR DAY.

GERALDINE. The initiation of Arbor Day at Geraldine on Thursday was a surprising success, and we are pleased to record the fact that Geraldine takes the lead in South Canterbury for the observance of this institution. From telegrams we learn that in Dunedin a great fuss was made about the planting of over 200 trees, but compared with the efforts made at Geraldine this falls very flat. At Geraldine, no less than 600 trees were planted by school children, assisted by professional gardeners and others, and this speaks well for the good taste and enterprise of those who reside iu the district. THE PROCESSION. At 10 o'clock in the forenoon, a procession was formed opposite Messrs Dunlop & Co's store. Beading the procession came the Geraldine Brass Band, led by Bandmaster T. Sherratt, then members of Town Board, School Committee, and Arbor Day Committee followed with a large body of School Children, the latter wearing rosettes and looking exceedingly happy with their picnic mugs hanging at their sides. Bringing up the rear of the procession was a number of traps loaded with young trees for planting. The march was made to the other end of the town, round the Geraldine Hotel corner, and thence to the school ground, where, on their arrival, the children heartily sang " God Defend New Zealand."

THE TEEE PLANTING. Three Geraldine garderers, Messrs John Pye, Chapman, and Coombs, had each kindly presented the Committee with 100 trees for planting, and with money collected by the committee, 300 additional trees were bought, making altogether 600 trees. The holes for planting the trees in were previously dug by Messrs Kennington and Johnstone, so that planting in this case was a very easy matter. At each hole, with a sapling, a school boy or girl was placed like a sentinel on duty, and when the gardener, or others, came round with their spades, each child held his or her plant to be set in the soil. There were many willing hands with shovels to assist the gardeners in their work, and by midday over 600 hundred young trees were in the ground. The trees were planted in the form of an avenue right round the school; the outer row consisting of pinu-s ins'ujuis and the inner row of ornamental and durable trees, while at the north-west corner three rows of trees were planted. The ornamental and slow-growing trees were planted in great variety, and comprised chiefly lawsonina, oak, ash, elm, sycamore, and silver birch. Mr John Pye and his family planted a valuable row of ornamental trees at the south-east corner of the ground which, when they are older, should add considerably to the beauty of the place. This row includes among others the insignis varigata, upright cryprus, wellingtonia gigantia, and cryptomaria japonica. Besides the avenue of trees a neat bed of flowering shrubs was planted at the main entrance to the school. During the morning the band struck up a few airs, v? hich helped to make things lively.

THE SPEECH MAKING, ETC. When the tree planting was at an end the children were treated to cakes and tea, and after grace had been pronounced by the Rev W. Woollass it was amusing to see how rapidly the edibles vanished into the jaws of the young tree planters. The thanks of all interested are due to Mesdames Dunlop and Farnie, the Rev. W. Woollass, and Mr Farnie, and members of the School and Arbor Celebration Committees for the energetic manner in which they attended to the wants of the children. After the children had been fully satisfied, the committee, the band, and those who had assisted during the proceedings werj entertained at tea by Mesdames Farnie and Dunlop, who deserve special credit for their share in the day's work. THE SPEECHES.

One of the large schoolrooms was now brought into use for singing and addresses, The children, led by Mr J. Colbert, agaii! sang "'God defend New Zealand," and the first speaker was Mr Farnie, the head master, who apologised for the absence of Mr A. White, (chairman of the Town Board), the latter having been called on important business to Timaru. He regretted the absence of Mr White, as that gentleman was to have conducted the proceedings during the day. He also apologised for the absence of Messrs R H. Pearpointand W. S. Maslin, the former having to attend a meeting of the Education Board, and the latter having business engagements which prevented him from attending. He was sure these gentlemen, could they have been present, would have taken great intesest in the celebration of Arbor Day. Mr Farnie then proceeded to say a few words in connection with Arbor Day. As this was the first occasion on which Arbor Day had been observed in New Zealand he thought that all those who had planted trees would have cause to remember the day. It was not often that many of them could be the first to take part in one of the first of any celebration, but those children and others who had that day helped in any way with the tree planting would be able in after years to say that they had taken part in the first celebration of Arbor Day in New Zealand. All would agree with him that the celebration referred to had been at all events a great sucoess in Geraldine. (Applause,) Arbor Day had been established in New Zealand not merely to give a holiday to the people, but for a very useful purpose. The institution of Arbor Day was an American one. In some States of America there were no trees, and it was a scientific fact that where there were no trees the climate was dry. This was one reason why the Americans in-.

stituted Arbor Day. Bush in New &ea- ' land was being burned down and destroyed by settlers as they made room for their farms, and this being so, it was now recognised Other trees shoiildbe planted to counteract this destructive force. ' To-day ihey were not planting any native trees. There was a considerable quantity of beautiful native bush around Geraldino, and it was propqsed next year to attend to this bush. He hoped, however, that in the ardour of planting old-world trees the fact would not be forgotten that no bush or forest scenery in the world was more beautiful or more inexpressively lovely than their owrj native bush. It was their duty, therefore, to do what they could to preserve this feature of beauty, and those who in future had control of Arbor Day celebrations should see that native trees received the same consideration as others. Tho, kauri grew only in Auckland, exclusively used in shipbuilding and other manufactures; red pine, from which attractive furniture was made, totara, white pine, and a host of other native trees, ought surely to be planted and preserved. As far as the children were concerned, he was glad to see them taking part in the celebration. To beautify and make their play-ground as attractive aa. possible was a very necessary thing. Most school playgrounds in New Zealand consisted of a bare piece of ground, with a wire fence around it. They were different from the,

play-grounds of the old-established schools in England and Scotland, many of which contained nice walks and avenues, and in many instances trees hundreds of years old. It would be very nice for the children there that day to think that the trees they had just planted would perhaps be there a hundred years hence, and their great-great-grand-children would play under their shade. They would know that they had done something for the future, even in the one small act of benefiting people who would come hereafter. Tree-planting also had a good educational bearing upon the training of the children. If children were taught to love what was beautiful, surely they could haxdly be taught anything higher ! They would become interested in the things about them, and grow more refined and cultured. People who were refined loved beautiful things, had ideals, and sought after better things than those merely in the sphere in which they had been born. He hoped that the tree-planting that day would have an elevating tendency on the children in his school, and that the commencement they had made would be improved upon next year, and that other places as well as Geraldine would show as great an interest and enthusiasm in Arbor Day as Geraldine had done that day. (Applause). Song, by school children—" The Bonny Woods of Craigielea." The Rev. W. Woollass said he was very pleased to be present, and take part in the celebration of Arbor Day in Geraldine, and he fully endorsed the remarks made by Mr Farnie. The way the matter had been taken up that day showed that Geraldine had many loyal and patriotic citizens who were quite willing to fall in with the enactments of Parliament. He knew from experience that nothing clung to the minds of children more than the early memories of life, and he was sure Ihose present would in after years look back with feelings of pleasure to what they had done that day. It was very gratifying to see the deep interest the children had tatken in the planting, and he was quite amused to hear the remark from some " This is my tree, and I'm going to look after it." This was the true spirit the children should have, and he hoped that as they watched the beautiful trees year by year as they grew, and their branches spread out, this would be an index leading the children also to culivate their minds that they might grow more noble and beautiful. He believed there was not a country in the world where children had a better and more properous, future before them than New Zealand (applause), and if the children of this colony would let their characters grow and become beautiful, and give their minds an opportunity to expand, there was no reason why New Zealand should not rise as high as any country in power and influence.

Songs—" Sailor's Life," and " The Old Elm Tree," —by the tschool children. Mr R. J. Ferguson reminded the children that as the trees grew upwards to the sun from which they received their life, that they too should allow their minds to grow towards the Son of Life. He advised every girl to learn all they could while at school, as it would all be required when they went forth to do battle with the world. Some of the boys present might some day be leaders of the colony, and he hoped they would all strive to fit themselves for whatever calling they had in life. A song by the school children, " I don't see it," came next, and then Mr Farnie, on behalf of the committee, thanked all the ladies and gentlemen who had assisted in making Arbor Day a success. After this an adjournment was made to the Binall park, and the children finished their day's pleasure with races and other picnic games. Only one accident happened during the day. A lad named Robert Hammond, 4 years old, a son of Mr Eobert Hammond, of Geraldine, was accidentally knocked down by some older lads and had his right arm broken. Dr Fish attended to the injury. It is likely that each child who planted a tree will reeeive a small memento to keep in remembrance of Arbor Day.

WINCHESTER. A close holiday was observed here on Arbor Day, 4th inst., all business places being closed, in consequence of which the small township of Win Chester was left in a quiet state. Mr Young, Chairman of the Domain Board, recently paid a visit to the school, and invited the school children to obtain trees to be planted on Arbor Day. Accordingly, at ten o'clock close on fifty children were assembled, in the presence of a fair sprinkling of adults, at the Park ready for operations. The site selected by the Domain Board for the trees was a piece of ground fenced in and encompassing the Jubilee Oak. Under the direction of Mr Young, assisted by Mr Coombs, the willing juveniles worked in a most hearty manuer. It was quite amusing to watch the way in which some of them handled their spades. One little fellow, hardly able to see over the top of his spade, made as great a show of forcing it into the soft soil, as an adult would when dealing with hard clay. Quite twenty children brought and planted useful kinds of tree? and shrubs. Mr Young, when the task was finished, addressed a few well chosen remarks to the children regarding Arbor Day, reminding them that the object was that when the native bush was felled, then the trees which they had now planted would come in useful for timber, etc. Also, that seeing how important this tree planting is, it is desirable that the children should take an active part in the matter; and he trusted that they would attend to the trees until they were of fair size. After thanking all present for their kind attendance, Mr Young called for three cheers for the children, in return for which thoy gave three cheers for Mr Young.' This done the gathering dispersed after an enjoyable, as well as a profitable time.

"PLEASANT POINT. More than two hundred scholars assembled to take part in the celebration of Arbor Day at the Point school. Great preparations had beon i nfU ] e f or gome time beforehand, and everything wps I in readinoaa for the scholars and their [ parent*. The master., Mr C. A. Strack, gave an object lesson to scholars, and explained the object of Arbor Day. In the afternoon 100 maerocarpa trees and 35 blue-gum trees wore planted in the school grounds, and SO fruit trees were planted in the master's garden. The scholars sang suitable songs while the special "Arbor Tree " was being planted. After the work was finished Mrs Strack and Miss Sainsbury entertained the children to afternoon tea. At Auckland Arbor Day was observed in the suburbs a?id country districts. The Newmarket children planted trees in the borough reserve. At Christchurch no holiday was observed, but some tree- planting was done ■>n a County Council resorvo at New Brighton and in some of the school pounds.

At Wellington "the weather was cold and windy, and interfered with the complete success of Arbor Day. The Earl and Countess of Glasgow, the Ladies Augusta, Alice, and Dorothy Boyle, the Premier, Mr McKenzie, Mr Ward, the Speaker, and the general public, of whom a large number were present, planted trees on the esplanade and in the botanical gardens. At Westport it rained heavily. A close holiday was kept, but no tree-planting was done. At Ashburton the day was kept as a close holiday. Memorial oaks and other trees were planted in the two school grounds by the wives of the respective head-masters (who were presented with spades), and in the domain by the general public. A great procession was held, speeches were made, the school children sang " God Save the Queen,'' and all wound up with a torchlight procession. At Oamaru 1000 childreno took part in a procession, and planted 1000 trees. At Dunedin tree planting took place on a large scale by school children, and speeches were made by the mayor, Bishop Neville, Dr Stuart, Mr Bathgate, and others.