TREES PLANTED AT MT. COOK SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 262, 3 August 1939, Page 5

TREES PLANTED AT MT. COOK SCHOOL

Arbor Day Celebrated In Wellington Arbor Day was celebrated in Wellington yesterday, when, in the presence of a large number of representative citizens and children from _ neighbouring schools, New Zealand native trees were planted in the Mount Cook school grounds, parallel with Buckle Street and facing the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum. Captain S. Holm, president of the Wellington Beautifying Society, stressed the value of trees and the interest which should be taken in them. Other speakers were the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom. Sir Harry Batterbee, the mayor of Wellington, Mr. Hislop, the chairman of the Wellington Education Board, Mr. M. V. Dyer, and the chairman of the school committee, Mr. A. C. Blair. Captain Holm said that 100 years ago all the hills surrounding 'Wellington were covered with native trees. They had. been removed from the hillsides and now it was desirable that ail available, suitable areas should be replanted. Mr. Dyer said that in 1933 the Forestry Department supplied free exotic forest trees for planting in all the schools. That arrangement continued each year till 1935 when trees were supplied by the Wellington City Council,‘the Hutt Borough Council, and the Wellington Beautifying Society, to whom the board was greatly indebted. Last year the arrangement for free trees was discontinued because each school, under the department’s,centennial scheme, was growing native trees for planting out in 1940. That work was well under way and the Wellington board had more than its full quota. In fact the board had 50,000 trees and shrubs, all natives of New Zealand, under cultivation for the centennial planting. In addition to free trees supplied during the 1933-38 period, a number of schools had purchased trees themselves.

Gaptaln Holm called on the following to plant trees: Mr. Hislop. Sir Harry Batterbee, Mr. Dyer, Hon. Simon Monckton-Arundel, Hon. Mary Monckton, Hon. Celia Monckton (children of Lord and Lady Galway), Mrs. P. Fraser, Miss M. Biggar (niece of Sir Harry Batterbee), Mrs. Knox Gilmer, Mr. A. Leigh Hunt (Forestry League), Mr. G. S. Nicoll (Institute of Horticulture), Captain Sanderson (Forest and Bird Protection Society), Mr. AVDuncan (City Council Reserves Committee), Mr. Hope Gibbons (president of the Wanganui Beautifying Society). Mr. R. L. Macalister (city council), and children of th - various schools. 50,000 TREES IN SIX. YEARS Planting Tn Petone There had been 50,000 trees planted in one part of the borough—on the Koro Koro hills —-in the past six years, said the mayor of Petone, Mr. G. London, at the Arbor Day ceremony at North Bark, Petone, yesterday. Of these 12,000 had been planted'in the past 12 mouths. There had also been 500 shrubs planted In the borough this year. New Zealand grew the greatest variety of tlora of the world. More advantage should be taken of this natural gift, particularly with English trees, as New Zealanders came of British stock. That was the reason sycamores' were being planted in North Park that day. He did not believe in mixing the native and imported flora but each could l>e grown to advantage.