VANDALS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2517, 22 December 1927, Page 4

VANDALS.

"Citizens, protect your own property." In many towns in New Zealand notices conveying the above caption are placed in prominent positions for the edification of citizens. In our own town there has, happily, been very little need to remind citizens of their obligations in this respect. The residents of the town and visitors have shown a proper regard for all works and utilities which belong to the public generally. It would be difficult, however, to point to a more despicable piece of vandalism and theft than that reported by the town clerk, when seme contemptible thief or thieves destroyed the two conveniences at the Viaduct Reserve for the sake of the few shillings worth of iron. These conveniences were provided by the public of Te Kuiti for the use of picnic parties from the town and district and for motoring parties passing through. The Reserve is one of the outstanding beauty spots of the district, and the Town Council went to considerable trouble in acquiring it as a breathing lung for the town, and for camping parties passing through. The townspeople subscribed between £2O and £25 for clearing the Reserve and erecting the conveniences, little thinking that these would suffer by the depredation of a person or persons with such a little sense of honour.. . This act of .vandalism and theft of the most contemptible that lias ever conic under .our notice, and it is to be sincerely hoped that the offenders will be arraigned before the proper authorities. It must be remembered that the camping ground at the viaduct is a re-' serve, and it is an indictable offence to remove shrubs and ferns. This is a fact that many people are inclined to treat lightly, but the Town Council is only doing its duty if such cases of vandalism are reported by placing them in the hands of the police. It is also the duty of those with civic pride to report transgressors in this connection. The town has little in the way of reserves, and for this reason every effort should be made to conserve the beauty spot we have in the Reserve.