CUTTING DOWN TREES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 162, 5 April 1938, Page 10

CUTTING DOWN TREES

City Council Proposal BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY’S PROTEST A protest against a proposal for cutting down some of the trees in Fairlie Terrace was made to the Wellington City Council last night by a deputation from the Beautifying Society, which was assured in reply that it was only intended to thin out some of the trees at the top of the hill to improve the view. Captain S. Holm said the deputation was objecting on principle to the suggestion that trees that had been planted 20 or 30 years ago should be ■cut down. Was\ it any use the society going on planting trees if by orders of the council or other bodies' these trees were to be cut down, he asked. Did the plantation not do more good than harm? The Fairlie Terrace trees were a thing of beauty. They would have to wait another 20 or 30 years to have other trees. Cr. R. MeKeen said that most of the trees were pines, and in view of the fact that they were, past their best they could be cut down and native trees planted. Captain Holm said it would be all right to plant native trees, but the present trees should be left for shelter. Obstruction of View. Cr. A. Black: Don’t you think that the residents whose view is obstructed should be considered! Captain Holm: Yes. Twenty or 30 years ago these people must have known their view would be obstructed. Then was the time to speak. The mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, said, as he understood the' position it arose through requests from people who had their view obstructed, to see whether something coul'd not be done to restore, or partially restore the view they had. The area had been investigated by the reserves committee and the decision ‘‘come to that by thinning out the trees the view could be restored without cutting out the trees as a whole. The council wanted to see the hills beautiful, but it felt that in certain districts the trees failed in carrying out in the best way the object in view, Mr. Hislop said. The hills could be clothed so as still to preserve the view. It was all a question of 'degree and of skilful management. The council had no desire to cut down trees for the sake of cutting them down. It wanted to preserve the views that were to be got in Wellington. The idea in Fairlie Terrace was simply to thin out a certain number of trees at the top and so restore the beautiful view and at the same time retain the clothed aspect of the hills. It was no scheme of vandalism. The deputation’s representations would be carefully taken into consideration. “The spirit that is behind you is also behind us,” Mr. Hislop said. Captain Holm: We are pleased to have your assurance that it is not intended to cut all the'trees down. Mr. Hislop said, in reply to a question, that the subject had been brought before the council by the residents of the area.

Captain Holm: How many? Cr. W. Appleton: Forty-Seven of them.