'Protest Picnic’ Over Trees

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31771, 30 August 1968, Page 20

'Protest Picnic ’ Over Trees

(N.Z. Press Association) HAMILTON, August 29. More than 200 Hamilton residents have pledged themselves to take part in a “protest picnic” on Friday to save 20 trees which their City Council intends to cut down. One woman, Mrs A. J. Griffiths, said she would chain herself to the trunks of the trees to stop the contractor cutting them down. Two other women, Mrs S. V. McKusic and Mrs L. Fear, said they would do

likewise—the latter saying she was certain she could find 40 women who would take similar action. Mrs Griffiths told reporters that if the trees were cut down this week, as originally planned, she intended to have her children sitting in the branches. A petition containing more than 200 signatures, protesting strongly at the removal of the trees, will be presented to the Town Clerk of Hamilton. Other moves suggested at

a protest meeting last evening—and adopted enthusiastically by many—included deluging councillors with letters, and telephoning them “every time anyone passes a telephone.” It was suggested that as many persons as possible gather at the site of the trees to hinder the contractor in removing them. Because of uncertainty as to when work would start, it was decided to hold the “protest picnic” between 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. tomorrow.