NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18302, 9 February 1925, Page 14

NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

The Bryce Gup competition will be held at the East Christchurch baths on Wednesd&y night* Competition. will be keen an exhibition will be given by the But Chris tchurch Diving Troop.

To encourage tree-planting in schools Forestry Department officers suggested to the "joint conference of agricultural instructors and school inspectors at Wellington on-Friday that a prize be offered in each instructor's district to the sohool accomplishing the best afforestation work, the instructors themselves to act. as judges. A money prise of, say, £2, was suggested. The conference indicated that it did not favour the idea of monetary prizes, and it was suggested that the Forestry department should award as prizes some fine specimens of plants and trees for the purpose of instructing the children. Such a donation, it was thought, would have quit© as good, it not a better effect, in stimulating competition. Mr P. M. Page explained, on behalf of the Department, that the idea was that as soon as nurseries were established in the schools they would be developed. Be and other forestry officers would visit various schools in the North Island. It was desired that small tree nurseries be established for the purpose of raising s holt or trees. Schools could raise, say, 2000 tree plants a year, and at the end. of the . season these could be distributed to the scholars for planting about their own houses. The department was prepared to supply the seed for each district. At the l>ack of rho sceme was the ultimate cultivation of ritive plants, but before they couM dn that they must have shelter A pints' exchange wag also 6U jested between the schools. Some yraj'f} -.not in a position to obtain ''natives." but under fhe exchange system there would be no disadvantage. After a general discussion the conference promised f"H and sympathetic consideration of the proposal.