MUTILATION OF TREES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 152, 30 June 1938, Page 8

MUTILATION OF TREES

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I wish to protest as emphatically as possible against the manner in which a number of birch trees in Martin Street, Upper Hutt, have been mutilated. Apparently the reason is because of a few power wires overhead, but the cutting has been done without feference to the nearness of the wires. Two trees are so hacked that they can scarcely be expected to recover. Is the Town Council or the Power Board responsible? If the Hutt Power Board is responsible it should be compelled to make reparation by shifting the poles and wires to the other side of the street. It will, of course, say that the proposal is ridiculous because of the telephone wires already across the street. There are, however, several other streets in the borough where pdwer and telephone wires are carried by the same poles. The few pounds required to shift the poles would be amply repaid in years to come by the beautiful trees.

Power Board is responsible it should be compelled to make reparation by shifting the poles and wires to the other side of the street. It will, of course, say that the proposal is ridiculous because of the telephone wires already across the street. There are, however, several other streets in the borough where pdwer and telephone wires are carried by the same poles. The few pounds required to shift the poles would be amply repaid in years to come by the beautiful trees. Cannot some of our public-spirited horticultural societies make a move which will prevent such cutting of trees which interfere with' power or telephone wires? Three conditions are necessary: First, the placing or shifting of poles to sites where cutting can be avoided; second, the consent in writing of the owner or public body concerned; third, the cutting by a qualified man under proper supervision.—l am, etc., RESIDENT.