ARBOR DAY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XXIII, Issue 1669, 12 July 1892, Page 2

ARBOR DAY.

The public meeting re Arbor Day was held in the Town "Hall on Saturday evening. There was a large attendance, His Worship the Mayor being in the chair, and introducing Mr McGregor, who he said had taken great interest in the matter.

Mr McGregor said that Arbor had been a holiday emanating from the United States of America, and had been commenced on a very small scale, bnt had become a very popular institution. He had waited on the Borough School* Committee, asking them to grant a holiday on July 29th for the purpose, but since then noticed Government had gazetted Thursdaj, 4th August, as a public holiday for the purpo-e. He referred to the efforts of Sir Julius Vogel and other eminent statesmen to replace the bush that had been, and was being wantonly destroyed, and said they must all have seen the leaders and local correspondence on the subject which had appeared in the Akaroa Mail. The work proposed was ono that w>3uld be left mainly in the hands of the ladles and the children, the elder part of the population of course rendering all possible help. The teachers of the Borough Sohool had, he understood, taken up the matter warmly, and there was chance of great success. (Applause). He begged to move—« That this meeting is of opinion that it is desirable to hold an Arbor Day in Akaroa and its borhood, and it is further of opinion that the day gazetted by the -Gtoterament, Thmrsday, 4th August, -be observed for the purpose here/ Seconded by Mr E. J* Lelievre aad carried. Mr Potts said he heartily acquiesced in the last resolution. The native bash had been destroyed without any mercy and nothing planted to supply its place. At Tauranga and other places in the north where trees had been planted and looked after the appearance of country had been altered, and he begged to move that a committee be formed to carrr oat l ho object consisting of His Wors'aip the Mayor and Boioagh^

Councillors, the Chairman and members of the Akaroa Borough School Committee, the Chairman and members of the Akaroa County Council, the Chairman and members of the Akaroa an *** Wainui Road Board, Mrß E. Funnell, Misses Henderson, Dawber, and Messrs Nicholls, Jacobson, Potts, Penlington, McGregor and Daly.' Mr G. Armstrong jun. seconded the resolution, thinking the object excellent, and saying that he hoped the Committee would be able to keep the trees planted on tho public roads from the ravages of cattle and horses. Mr M. G. Daly said that he understood the St. Peter's Young Men's Association had kindly given way to allow this meeting to be held. He moved—- That this meeting thanks the President and members of the St. Peter's Young Men's Society for courteously allowing the use of the hall on their meeting night.' Seconded by Mr J. Funnell and carried, A hearty vote of thanks to His Worship for presiding terminated the •meeting.