TREES IN THE CITY AREA

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21464, 4 May 1935, Page 21

TREES IN THE CITY AREA

to -inr. EMToa or tsie hubs. Sir,—Amid the promises for reforms made by so many of the candidate:; for civic honours, I note the absence of one that has not apparently come within the purview of any of them. It may be the business of the town planning department of civic life, but it is of vital importance and should not be delayed a moment longer than is necessary. The complaint I refer to affects scores, if not hundreds, of citizens in like case with myself. It is the continued existence and tolerance of large forest trees within the city boundaries, on boundary fences, to the great misery of those who are on the wrong side of them. The only satisfaction one can get from the City Council officers is that there is a by-law under which an offender may be made to "top" them. But it is altogether too vague. An offender may lop a few feet off to square with a by-law like that. What is wanted is an act prohibiting the growth of forest trees or shrubs more than 15 feet high within 25 feet of such boundary fence. It is quite possible for an unfortunate citizen on the wrong side of north and east to be completely deprived of any sun rays whatever under the existing lack of safeguards. If such trees are practically on the boundary it is next to impossible to keep the branches from infringing. It is a crying injustice whirl] no civilised community should allow for an Instant.— Yours, etc.. CHAS. W. MATSON. May o. 193.1.