PLANTING THE BELT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 128, 4 June 1929, Page 11

PLANTING THE BELT

ABOUT SEVENTY ACRES

PINES AND NATIVES

Tree planting is again under way as one of the smaller city unemployment relief works, though in later years the work done will bulk very largely in City improvement. Moat of the planting this winter is being done on the Tinakori Hills, the biggest block being of between 60 ' and 70 acres above Queen's Park. Pines are being used as nurse trees, and will form the greatest number, but a largo number of New Zealand coastal trees, including 7000 puhutukawas, karakas, ngaios, etc., are being set out in groups. A few years ago only a very small area of the Town Belt bore trees, but when the present winter's work is added to-that of the last three years there will ■bo practically 250 acres under young trees, and ten years from now the reproach that Wellington is a tree? less city will, be largely removed. So far tree planting about the city has been regarded solely from the point of view of beautification, but tree planting' pays Old World cities remarkably well, if the following statement from an English paper is as authoritative as it appears to be:— "There is Orson, in Sweden. This municipality has its ordinary city expenses, but it imposes no taxes. Moreover, the local railway is free to every citizen,-and thereis no charge for telephone, for schools, libraries, and the like. All this is due to the wisdom of a former generation, who planted trees on all the available ground, with the result that during the past thirty years the town authorities have sold over £.1,000,000 worth of young trees and timber, while judicious replantings have provided for a similar income in the future. ■■:■■:

"Then there-is Monmartoh, in the, Midi, France. Here not only are there no taxes, but the timbers on the communal lands are sufficient to grant each person a small annuity." It may ,all work out like that some day—free trams, free , telephones, free Zoo, and an annual cheque from the Treasury instead of the rates demand, but it-probably will:.not.■■< Even so, green hills mil be better than bare hills or hills overrun with gorse and broom.