DESTRUCTION OF BUSH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 148, 19 December 1931, Page 13

DESTRUCTION OF BUSH

FOR DECORATION PURPOSES

HUTT COUNCIL PROTESTS

A protest against people destroying native bush for use as decorations was made at a meeting of the Hutt County Council yesterday. The matter arose out of a letter from the New Zealand Forestry League. The chairman, Councillor D. B. Hoggaril, said he thought that it was very unreasonable of people to go out into the country and destroy trees and shrubs which had taken years to grow for use as decorations that lasted a few hours. He thought it was a reason-1 able request that the council should | ask the public to leave the native bush alone. Councillor B. L. Button said that there had been numerous complaints at Plimmerton in regard to the destruction of native bush. "One day I found a motorist leaning over my fence picking off the top of a 25-year-old totara tree for decoration purposes," said the- chairman. "When I protested, the motorist told me that she did not think she was doing wrong. Had that tree been left alone it would have probably been growing four or five hundred years hence." Councillor J. M. Whiteman said that the public should also be warned of the danger of fires during the prosent hot weather. The bush was probably never more dry than it was at present. On the suggestion of Councillor Button, the chairman moved that authority be given to the overseer to erect notices warning people against destroying bush on properties vested in the council, and against lighting fires. The motion was carried. _________________