ARBOR DAY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14098, 18 July 1911, Page 5

ARBOR DAY.

A DECLINING HOLIDAY. The celebration of Arbor Day appears to have fallen into a decline locally, 'juiere were times when on this treeplanting holiday the school children, and not a few adults, sallied forth with spades and trees of tender years, and laid the foundations of future plantations and groves. This method of celebration has become more and more spasmodic as the years have passed oy. and this year, in Christchurch nt least, it appears to be "in extremis. Tomorrow is Arbor Day. but it is not to be "celebrated "—it is to be observed by the Government offices- There will be no parade of school children with spades and trees, and the amount ot tree-planting done with'n the boundaries of Greater Christchurch will be infinitesimal, if there is any at all. The echool children in the city, it appears, had their Arbor Day holiday sacrificed for them on the altar of the Coronation. They were granted a full week's holiday at that time, and it mopped up Efmpire Day, the Prince of Wales' Birthday, and Arbor Day. Another reason for the absence of the school celebration is th.it most of the school grounds have already been sufficienty planted. The children are now sighing for more acres to beautify. The Beautifying Society is not doing any planting *in celebration of Arbor Day. and the Domains Board and tho City Council do not intend to celebrate, either. The Domains Board is, on the following day plant-tig a number ot trees presented by Mrs Townend, but this is in no way connected with the holiday celebration. The Selwyn Plantation Board does not wait for Arbor Day to arrive in order to proceed with its planting work. It .has been -suggested that the Board might ; ve-.rly indicate areas under its J n "f, let tiinious to schools, so that the children conld do some planting on them. # It v quite certain that ™^ t M^£ l £*" done to revive interest in *"t& n& and the objects with which Arbor Day was instituted, there will ™ ntl » u * *° by 7r7 fen Crd! **£ la^as ber of country schools trees, but the number of spools requring them is strictly lon-tea-.