ADOPTION PROPOSAL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 227, 22 June 1944, Page 4

ADOPTION PROPOSAL

Beautifying Societies And

Vacant Areas i A suggestion that members, with the co-operation' of the public, could “adopt areas suitable for conversion into gardens or play areas, was made by the mayor of Wellington. Mr. Appleton, at last night’s meeting of the Beautifying Society. . There must be such areas in the various districts, said the mayor. The society could check on these and advise the city council which could then see if the areas were public or private property, ana available. The societv. in co-operation with the reserves department, could plan the lay-out and plant the areas with trees, shrubs and plants supplied by the council. This might seem like putting council work on to private shoulders, but public-spirited citizens, imbued with, a sense of civic pride and responsibility, could during times like the present advance beautification quicker than could the council with its wartime lack, of manpower. He would. like the society to discuss this suggestion and acquaint him with its ideas on this or any similar scheme. . ... . The work of beautifying societies was not so well known to the general public as it should be. Nor was it widely appreciated that these good citizens, for no material reward, gave their time, energy and collective funds for objects of widespread community benefit. It might be going too far to say that without them there would be no beautification, but it was certainly true to say that lacking such societies less might be done and that not to the best advantage. . He welcomed their co-operation. They might not always see eye to eye and. at times financial reasons precluded giving immediate effect to worthwhile proposals. An example was the recent refusal of the Local Government Loans Board to sanction a reserves loan. But the time would come when sanction would be obtained. Meantime the society’s Members would no doing a good job in acquainting the general public with the worth of proposals in which they had a special interest.