ARBOR DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 181, 2 August 1944, Page 6

ARBOR DAY

AUCKLAND OBSERVANCE ADDRESS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN "I hope that this ceremony willinculcate a respect for trees," said the Mayor, Mr. Allum, when addressing ihe annual gathering for the observance of Arbor Day, held this morning in the new park and children's playground near Basque Road, between Eden Terrace and Newton Road.

Children from the Grafton, St. Benedict's and Newton Central Schools attended the gathering, and school representatives aided in planting about 40 shelter trees, comprising pohutukawas, puriris, rewarewas, poplars, planes and acmenas. Mr. Allum mentioned that ever since the first white man came to New Zealand trees had been felled and that far too little had been done to replace them. He stressed the necessity of protecting and replacjjig tXGGS. The Chairman of the City Council parks committee, Mr. J. L. Coakley, said that during the past six years some 17,690 native trees had been distributed from the council's nursery for planting in parks and reserves. Hundreds of trees had also been presented to schools, military camps and institutions. Since last Arbor Dav 330 trees had been planted at Waikumete Cemetery and Bastion Point.

About 40 Auckland schools had applied for trees for planting this year, making a total of 18,906 trees distributed to schools during the past seven years, said Mr. Coakley, who also mentiqned that the Basque Roaxl reserve would be completed next year, and that it would be possible to provide a small area where a collection of native trees could be planted to be of some educational value to children.