TOWN AMENITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 September 1939, Page 6

TOWN AMENITIES

MASTERTON’S BEAUTIFUL GARDENS CONTINUED INTEREST URGED BY DR A. HOSKING. HORTICULTURAL SHOWS TO BE HELD AS USUAL. A statement to the effect lhal the Masterton Horticultural Society intended to hold its spring and autumn shows as usual was made at the official opening of the Daffodil Show yesterday afternoon by the president, Air If. L. Esau. Dr Archer Husking, president of the Beautifying Society, who opened the show, urged people to continue their hobbies and their interest in the beautification of their gardens and t own.

Mr Esau thanked the exhibitors and members for giving the show such wonderful support under present conditions. He stated that the society intended to carry on with its November and March shows and he trusted that the same support would be forthcoming for these two shows. After expressing his regret that there could be no afternoon tea as the hall upstairs was being used by the military authorities, Mr Esau introduced Dr Hosking. Dr Hosking sa'id that on an occasion like the present one, with all these beautiful flowers around the hall, he had a sense of gladness in speaking to those present and to the enthusiasts who had produced such wonderful flowers. “I have always lived in my, garden,” said Dr Hosking, “and when I am away from it my thoughts turn to it in my spare moments.” Dr Hosking said that on one occasion he had left it for two years and he had spent much time in wondering how it was getting on. His absence on that occasion was due to military services. Now the cycle of time brought them to the same set of circumstances. He urged the people not to give up their gardens,' to. keep their hobbies and thus keep up their spirits. He was pleased to know that the shows would be held and he asked everyone to try to make them good exhibits. There was no reason why they should not have just as good shows as those that had been held in the past. Masterton, said Dr Hosking, was a town of gardens and compared favourably with any place he knew. It was a pleasure to drive or bicycle round, as the case might be, and see the number of better-class gardens which have been developed in the past few years. Their people were garden-minded and, he believed, would remain so. As a member of the Beautifying Society he was very much interested in the planting of trees. The people recognised the value of the society’s efforts in improving the town and the trees planted made a fine setting for the gardens. Dr Hosking urged those who had a spare corner in their garden to plant a tree and tend it well, in addition to flowers or vegetables, whichever was their particular hobby. Good trees would live after those who planted them had gone. Town amenities were like a part of a patchwork quilt. If each one fitted in their portion the others would make the whole. Dr Hosking referred to the possibilities of improving the Waipoua river-bank, which, he said, could be made a wonderful place. There was another area, the magnificent gift of the Williams family, on the Lansdowne heights. The Mayor was very interested in its development and a committee would probably be set up to attend to the area before very long. Suggestions for town improvements should come from the people and if anyone communicated with him he would be pleased to pass their ideas on and see what could be done. “Keep up the little patches in the quilt as you are doing now,” said Dr Hosking, “and the town will still remain beautiful.” He had much pleasure in declaring the show open.