IMPROVE THE TOWN BELT

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 62, 10 September 1924, Page 10

IMPROVE THE TOWN BELT

TO.THE EDITOR.

Sir,—Probably fclie. majority of the citizens of Wellington would be unable to answer the" question, "Where is the lowa. Belt?" .. In past years some active person may have" left the beaten track of the roads and wandered over the hills at Island Bay; Roseneath, or Wadestown, and be rewarded by magnificent views therefrom; "always provided he. was. nob gored by cows or pricked badly with gorse. Naturally thinking he had passed dairy farms, he; would wonder how ;long-,-it would be before the hills were; > covered with houses. It would never occurto him that as.axitizen of Wellington he was part-owner of what he had walked over and- observed. The last few - years have witnessed,however, a gradual improvement, for, out of the Town Belt reserve,' manyparks have been made , and certain areas have been set. aside for croquet, tennis, cricket, etc. The people interested in these sports, of course, can find their way there, but these are a comparatively small number. The great majority of residents still are unaware that almost 'surrounding Wellington is an unalienable reserve quite capable of being made use of, not only to the youthful climber, but, to . the elderly of- both sexes and. the young children. When the gorse and cows are got rid of, I presume the City;-Council will plant and make tracks, for, I hope, the,benefit of tlio present generation. ■ To tackle the whole Belt-is a big job. May the suggestion be made that a small portion of this-reserve should be taken in hand at once, properly graded, and roaded, with walking tracks, say, about six feet wide,'with side channels and pipe outlets. Then the spaces'on either side planted with both native and. exotic shrubs and trees, leaving open* space's at sufficient intervals, for views to be had of our incomparable harbour. Most of the parts of the Belt at present planted ■are.difficult of access, so that the really good work of recent City Councils cannot be properly appreciated. The Wellington branch of the Forestry League: suggests that Mount. Victoria be tihe place selected for tracking and planting, tracking .now, and planting next year. This hill is a most prominent one and seen by_ all passengers of steamers coming or going out of Wellington. It would well repay the labour spent upon it when the trees grew up. As citizens of no mean city, we should ever strive to add the word "beauty" to the motto "Suprema a-Situ,"- so that our town is not-.only supreme for its position but also for its' beauty .—I am; etc., ■'-.'■

MEMBER OF THE FORESTRY ' ■'■ LEAGUE.; Bth' September. • . :