ARBOUR DAY

Grey River Argus, 22 July 1941, Page 3

ARBOUR DAY

! Living Memorial r ... — s In reference to prospective iunc--9 tions for Arbor Day, the Hon. W E. Parry, Minister of Interna! Affairs, ? expresses a hope that much of tne s planting will come under the heading 3 of “living memorials,”' trees well f placed in honour of men and women L ' who have won a right to their coun- " trv’s gratitude in various fields ol ; service. f “Of course, the -Wanting of historic , trees began in New Zealand long ’ ago,’’ saw; Mr Parry, “but the linking * of people’s names wth trees was not ’ extensive until Centennial year, ’ when there was a notable response to ’ repeated appeals for that kinq of commemoration. After the 1914-18 war the suitable planting of highways r was advocated as a very appropriate ■ remembrance of men who gave their ’ lives for their country. However, the ; people’s attention was mainly drawn to other memorials, but the cal! for , trees is being heard again. For ex- . ample, at Dargaville recently, the i Mayor. Mr R. Gibson, commended a proposal that a tree should be pl.uited in a section of the local park in ■ honour of every man of the district who died for his country in the war. “I would suggest,' remarked Mr Gibson, “that the relatives of any deceased fighting man be entitled to choose a tree and to Mant it at gatherings which might be he'd on Arbor days.” “For such purpose it may be 1 safely assumed that many local bodies will have land readily available. In other cases, no doubt, the generosity ■ of private land-owners will meet the need. There are plenty to whom that kind of giving would strongy appeal. “A very good example is be nc set in Auckland wit’ l a “Woodland of Remembrance,” at the Whenuapai Air Base, to be Planted with tree;from the countries where New Zealand airmen are serving in the wai. Native trees are also being used with others in massed effects and in avenues wh'ch will give' shelter as well as beauty to tlio grounds, “After the Ln-t war. oak trees were planted in the Domain ct Mat"mata as a memoria'. At present there is a movement in the tow" for a far more imnre-si"c ‘li' ,; m T memorial.’ which will be a distinctive fea turc of the landscape. “It is very "’c"siny to reed a renort that nubb’e-snirited folk of Whangarei are' busy with the m-oie" 1 of an ‘living memorial’ —a plantation of kowhai and pohutukawa—in honour of t.h« Mr 11. W. Crawford, a stalwart champion of trees, especially the majestic- kaur s which are one of the ncipal scenic assets of New Zealand. “These cases am a selection from a number which show good progress m the movement for 'living inemoi*als’ which help to strengthen a necessary tree-mindedness in Now Zealand. “In 1938 I ment : oned mv belief that New Zealand’s best celebration of the Centennial would be in the development of ’•’■'tiunai ti’ec-mlnd-edness. whim- would save the country from a repetition of blunders the destruct.on of protect}. e io e ‘ in high country—t l '- disastrous mstakes which had opened the wav Lerosion. I remarked then that whatever d fferences of opinion Ne-- Zealanders mi~ht ha-'o o’ l nolitYal o r industrial question'' they must be solidl-- united n sav n <->i which yielded the needs of life. For that y ■ here was only one -t form for all parties—the platform o’’ New Zealand itself Again I appeal to people to remember native birds in tne:r "J-nt-ing of trees and shrubs,” .concluded Mr Parrv. “In manv districts fl. would be to h" -- If-’ y’—' for bell-birds and tuis or plantations of suitable trees—’“e’ders of nectai or berries —reaching from town* l> native forests. Here if unlimite ! scone for the beneficial co-onemti i> of landho'H« r 's. ; n man ■ localities, even residents only comparatively small emden’ can holy the lanti” wifi'- 1 ' encourages iy’s and bel'-birds io visit them That kind of nlant’n brings ‘he double boon of beautv ami melody.”