ARBOR DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 31, 5 August 1943, Page 6

ARBOR DAY

FOUR OAKS PLANTED

."I am very glad you have given me an oak tree to plant: it is the most British of all trees and is the symbol of British qualities," said the GovernorGeneral, Sir Cyril Newall, at the Arbor Day ceremony opposite the railway station yesterday afternoon. The tree which he planted was one of four sturdy English oaks, 8 to 10 feet in height, which were placed one each in the centre of the four grass plots fronting the station entrance.' The three other oaks were planted by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. Parry), the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. Hislop), and the chairman of the City Council parks and reserves committee (Councillor W. Duncan), the last tree being in memory of the late Councillor L. McKenzie. The function was a joint one arranged by the City Council, the Department of Internal Affairfe, the Royal Horticultural Institute, the Horticultural Society, and the Beautifying Society. Watching the proceedings were a number of schoolchildren.

I His Excellency said that Arbor Day ' had a utilitarian as well as an aesthetic aspect, and he trusted that in the planting of trees they would not neglect the native trees, many of which were just as beautiful as the English trees. Some of the native trees, he understood, were in danger of dying out and every effort should be made to preserve these. | Short speeches were made by the three other planters, Mr. Parry remarking that it was. over 50 years ago when he first took part in an Arbor Day .planting. That was in New South Wales, where quite a number of New Zealand trees had been -planted. Arbor Day had passed through many vicissitudes and had at.times been neglected, but he trusted that it would never again be allowed to lapse.

TREES FOR ALLIED DEAD " P.A. v AUCKLAND, This Day. "The trees planted today will stand for generations to come as a monument to our mutual friendship," said Captain S. D. Jupp, senior U.S. Naval Executive Officer, speaking at a ceremony at the . Waikumete Cemetery when trees were planted in sections of the cemetery set apart for the dead of the United States forces, Merchant Navy, and New Zealand Armed Forces.

Civic, naval, Army, and Air Force representatives attended, together with a party of American officers. Flying over the U.S. section, of the cemetery were the Stars and Stripes and on each American grave marked with a white, cross was a beautiful wreath.

Captain Jupp, who planted the first cedar, said he was pleased to join with tree-loVing New Zealanders in such a worthy observance. Americans were deeply grateful for the sentiment expressed in this act, which demonstrated once again the mutual respect in which they held one another. The Port Chaplain, the Rev. H. K. Vickery, planted trees on behalf of the Merchant Navy. Cedar and cypress were planted to commemorate the overseas section.

The chairman of the parks committee of the City Council, Mr. J. L. Coakley, said it was the council's policy to plant the gully round the American cemetery with a representative collection of Native flora.