TREES ON THE STRAND

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 15058, 19 August 1949, Page 2

TREES ON THE STRAND

Sir, —In your issue 01 August 8, my attention was drawn to the favourable, and hopeful views for the future of Tauranga, expressed by the Mayor of Wellington, on his recent visit. Insofar as Ins views in general are concerned, I arn sure that the groat majority of residents here, should be pleased, and in full agreement with him. .! inust however express disagreement in one instance. Norfolk pines should not be planted on the Strand, as they are too spikey, black, and gloomy, and would always look hideously out of place, especially when they reached a height of GO or 70 feet. Tauranga, although favoured by a semi-tropical climate, is essentially an English settlement backed by English—or perhaps I should say. British —tradition of such wealth as to make it unique in our comparatively sort but varied history. We have many natural advantages to make Tauranga a garden city, and in order to keep pace with its industrial growth, and its vast expansion of trade in primary products, its beautification wherever possible, should be carefully and cautiously proceeded with. Mission Hill, to begin with, besides being of great historic interest, is a veritable beauty spot as are the adjacent surroundings streets, homes and gardens, and particularly the avenues, or rows of deciduous trees with which the streets are planted. These trees with their soft foliage and mere or less rounded tops, are in conformity with the surrounding' hills both near and distant. At the present time on the Strand, there is one jarring note in the scheme of things, and that is caused by a row of ragged and sickly looking palm trees. These no doubt were originally planted with the best of intentions, and therefore rightly possess a sentimental value, which makes one hesitate to offer an unfavourab’e reference concerning them, but they create a palpable discord on the waterfront, and savour too strongly of Hollywood, or rather Coney Island. If the residents of Tauranga wish the town to retain the beauty which rightly belongs, or should belong to it, they should petition the Borough Council to arrange for their removal before it is too late. They coidd easily be replaced, not necessarily with all deciduous trees, but partly, by those which have soft foliage and rounded tops, and whose leaves turn red and gold in the autumn. What a boon these would be to tired and weary shopping mothers with children, on hot summer days, when seeking a few minutes’ respite on any of the seats. If this were clone we would have an attractive foreshore, worthy of the gardens which are already the pride of the I town.—l am, etc., H. E. GAZE. j I