ARBOR DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 12, 14 July 1939, Page 17

ARBOR DAY

OBSERVANCE FOR FIRST

TIME

(Special to the "Evening Post!*')

PALMERSTON N., This Day.

Although in the past the Oroua County Council has not observed Arbor Day it will do so on this occasion, August 2, because of an unusual combination of circumstances. About 33 trees in a plantation recently taken over by the council from a private owner were felled by employees of the Manawatu-Oroua Electric Power Board by mistake. They were, according to a report by the county engineer (Mr. R. L. Harding), in no way a menace to the power lines, but it appeared that instructions to the board's workmen were misunderstood and the trees felled in error.

The chairman, Mr. T. Green, remarked that the men who cut them down had gone a mile beyond the spot where they were to have carried out felling operations. The trees did not interfere with the service lines, and had been there before they were erected; in fact, they were from 15 to 20 years old and had been valued by the previous owner at £1 each. In his opinion the council was entitled to compensation, as nobody had approached anyone for permission to cut. the trees, and that was an essential condition in regard to tree-cutting by power boards. About half of the trees on the property had been felled. On the suggestion of Mr. p. McLeod, either Oregon or Japanese cedar trees are to be planted.