THE SQUARE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20736, 22 December 1932, Page 10

THE SQUARE.

lay-out of gopwsy PLOT. VIEWS OF SIB HEATON RHODES. Sir Beaton Rhodes, president of t he Canterbury Horticultural Society, vesterday expressed to a representative of Tire Pkess his views on the proposals for altering the lay-out of the was asked to attend the meeting which was called by the Mayor for duC'ussion of this question,, Sir Heaton Rhodes said. "I greatly appreciated the invitation, but unfortunately I not able to attend that preliminary meeting, and I have not actually seen the plans for tho lay-out of the Square. "So far as I know it, I approve tiie scheme suggested by Mr Cecil Wood and others. Oue suggestion—l think it is that of Mr M. J. Barnett, the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens --is that the plot should be cut up and a rock garden made; but that would not be suitable lor the centre of the Citv. What appeals to ouo is a plot of grafts and deciduous trees the and the shade of the trees would have iV very restful effect, especially on a hot day. For the present, there ia iio need, under any consideration, to do av .av with tho birch trees already there. r J hoy will have lite m them for .some years to come. Mi" Geoigo Gould has ior five years pointed out that tho tree to tho north of tho plot requires skilled treatment to save iL; but nothing has been done. With proper treatment, that treo might still bo saved. "Much as we all respect Sir Arthur Dobson, I do not agree with the opinion to which he gave expression, namely, that the centre of the City should be a business centre, the trees removed, and the Square left open for trapis and other traffic. Sir Arthur has, I tear, lost his respect for the tree, perhaps because from his pioneer days he has been accustomed to put his axe into tho forest.

"If the City cannot at present earrv out the big scheme suggested by Mr Wood and his associates, no incomplete plan should be adopted that would prejudice the ultimate carrying out of s'ich a mnjor scheme. As for the particular trees to bo used, Mr Barnett has suggested Irish yews; but .such straight-growing trees suggest a cemetery rather than a city square. Tf the birch trees are taken away—and I do not agree that that i- necessary—in my mind there is no hetter tree t]ian the plane. There is an objection to plnne trees, because it is said that they would overshadow tho Godley statue; but they can bo cut as may be desired, iiist as' is done in Continental cities. Plane trees aj~e hardy, and tliey are good trees for City use far tho reason that they are constantly throwing off their hark, which, with the dust of a Citv. tends to become dull and dirty.

"In short- mv strong objections nro to the use of vew trees; to the Godley nlot beinsr cut up into small sections; and to anvthing in the nature of a rock garden/'