Christmas Tree Theft In Heart Of City

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30941, 23 December 1965, Page 18

Christmas Tree Theft In Heart Of City

A 12ft golden conifer on the floral-clock plot in Victoria street was found to have been chopped down and removed early yesterday morning—presumably stolen for a Christmas tree.

This is easily the cheekiest among the usual run of tree thefts suffered by the City Council’s reserves department at this time of the year. Its staff is already on the watch against tree thieves at such places as Victoria Park and the Burwood Bottle Lake plantations. “Such vandalism is almost

incredible —and right in front of the law courts, too,” said Mr H. G. Gilpin, the councils director of reserves, of the floral-clock theft yesterday.

Police Notified

The police had been notified, said Mr Gilpin. The offender in this, and other cases, would certainly be prosecuted, he said. Substantial fines had recently been imposed for such offences. The conifer stolen from the floral-clock stood at the rear of the clock, facing the Supreme Court. It was roughly cut down, about 6ft from the ground, leaving an ugly gap in the bank of trees and shrubs which serve as the background to the clock. The reserves department has already supplied about 6000 small pinus rad'iata trees (thinnings from plantations) to civic organisations and to commercial firms for sale as Christmas trees.

“There is no need for persons to steal trees, or cut branches from them,” said Mr Gilpin. “They can easily buy a Christmas tree for a few shillings.” Organisations selling Christmas trees include the boy scouts, the Lions Club, and the Shirley Round Table. Help from Public

Mr Gilpin called on the public to notify his department in cases where persons are seen removing trees, or tree branches, from city plantations. Helpful information, such as car numbers, should be given so that the offenders could be traced, he said. Resident staff at Victoria Park, the Burwood-Bottle Lake’ plantations, the Botanic Gardens, and other places are now on the watch day and night to prevent thefts of, or damage to, trees. In Britain, tree thefts at Christmas time become so rife that guards patrol plantations and parks with shotguns and dogs.