SCENIC BEAUTIES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 39, 16 February 1933, Page 9

SCENIC BEAUTIES

WANTON DESTRUCTION

LORD BLEDISLOE'S LEAD

Referring to the work feing donS in England by the Society for thai Preservation of Rural England, Mr. H*. Mandeno, Dunedin, president of ths New Zealand Institute of Architects,in his address last night to the animal meeting of members of the institute^ said that he made no apology for introducing the snbject. "To those of you who derive much." pleasure from the beauties of the;countryside, it must often be very painful," he remarked, "to see so many] instances of desecration and wanton! destruction. I feel that this d'esecra- ' tion is usually due to thoughtlessness. Much of it about our cities is done by young people, but further afield I am afraid that some motorists are alsa .. to blame. We spend huge sums on; education, and many teachers take a' delight in inculcating a love of th_ beautiful in the children, but judging by the way in which trees are brokendown, flowers are pulled up, unsightly; advertising signs abound, and beauty) spots are littered with rubbish, there is evidently great need to still fur-' ther educate the people to a true appreciation of the beautiful and protection of other people's property. "I am sure you will all agree that; we are under a great debt of gratitudei, to his Excellency the Governor-General for his splendid appeal and measure ofi' success he has obtained in the removal Of some of the unsightly hoardings and advertising signs in the country. One' is apt to contrast his Excellency's efforts with the Government's attitudei in recently permitting huge advertising signs on new public buildings in' one of the northern cities and also with] their continued policy of disfiguring . railroad tracks with hoardings. I ani sure also that we as architects are. keenly appreciative of his Excellency-g--enerous gift to the Dominion of the. - historical site where the Treaty o_ Waitangi was signed. In a newly set* tied country like New Zealand anything that helps to impress on people the romantic and historical side irt connection with onr colonisation should be warmly applauded. It seems almost" . a reproach that .a realisation of our duties in this respect should have been left until this late date, and we should! be eternally grateful to his Excellency/ for his splendid lead." •