WANGANUI BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13526, 7 November 1911, Page 2

WANGANUI BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY

SAVE THE TREES! (BY “NEMO.”) . As a humble member of the local socioty but unfortunately not one who is able to take an active part in the planting of trees and shrubs, perhaps the only ivay I can support this praiseworthy in. stitutiqn is to witc a few lines in thorough appreciation of the good work already done here, and make a few remarks on what has ocen done elsewhere; it may be , th at the zealous workers in Wanoanm may not all be familiar with what hTdoue m other parts. It is a common remark that the American spirit is entirely commercial. This remark doubtless has truth in it, but in no country more than America is it realised, that wealth has its obligations I would venture to assert that no country has, so far, more, fully realised what 1 may call its civic obligations. Is it not common among ns here to suppose that a place like Chicago is entirely given over to the worship of the golden pig, and to feel that here, in Wanganui at any rate, we do not rate everything by the guinea stamp? Is it realised that yon can travel for miles—five at least, i should say—in the electric trains right through the heart of that “Porkopolis,” and see nothing hut fine buildings on the right, different, I admit, from our notions of architectural beauty, but fine all the same; while on the left you travel through the carefully-kept stretches »f lawn and garden that show that some spirits have in the past been alive to the magnificent prospect that Lake Michigan affords, and have conserved for ever a splendid strip of country that can never , be alienated. I see that one of our town councillors, no doubt a worthy citizen, declares that Wanganui has too many reserves. He may be right, but I should like to know how far he had travelled before I acquiesced in his opinion. There arc few towns in the world—and towns rise into cities—that can make the same complaint. With the people of Wanganui the destruction of trees seems to have become a mania. In opening up reserves for building (I instance the reserve near the Recreation Ground mid gaol, that once boasted some glorious trees), it appears to be an accepted axiom with the authorities that the allotments must be denuded of trees. It is not as if in this windy district trees are so easily grown. There may bo finer trees than the blue gum, and the pinus insignis. But surely that sombre line of pines on tho hill at the top of the Avenue is fine? Does not their rapid growth serve a useful purpose, and little deserve tho rough treatment so often meted out to them? One constantly hears that trees make the roads damp. Even supposing they did, what does it matter? Why is a difficulty so much felt in this small town that is not thought of in large cities both in the Old and the New World? The boule- , vards of Paris are certainly wider than our streets, but the streets of Toronto are tile same width, and are a delightful sight with their trees planted at the edge of a footpath that is half grass and half asphalt. Does not London zealously guard her squares and oases? Those little bolts of trees in the Marylcbone Road and at tho Marble Arch where tho Edgwarc Road merges into Oxford Street, are the glory of those busy thoroughfares. Probably more people pass them in a day than go down the Avenue in a month. In this country wo cut down ‘trees ruthlessly. In our own town the Borough Council, perhaps individually tree-lovers, have seen fit to spoil from a picturesque point of view the road leading to the Cemetery. And some soulless board has apparently sanctioned tho devastation of that once peaceful and beautiful corner of Wanganui to which we are all gradually gravitating. The College trustees are not behindhand. Bayly’s Lane and the site of tho old school are being daily bared of trees that took years to grow, despite the fact that the German toyshop appearance of the fine new buildings cries out for a little more foresight in the destruction of the old before the construction of tho new. Until such prominent bodies in our community a.s the Borough Council and the College trustees show themselves alive to the importance of tree conservation, is it surprising that the public generally is not alive to the disinterested efforts of tho Wanganui Beautifying Society?