TREES IN DOMAIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18141, 5 July 1919, Page 3

TREES IN DOMAIN.

A QUESTION OF FELLING. A letter was received from the Riccarton Borough Council at the meeting of the Domains Board yesterday, stating that the matter of cutting down trees in Riccarton Avenue had been discussed, and it had been resolved to ask the Domains Board when contemplating the cutting down of trees fronting public thoroughfares to first obtain the opinions of the various contributing bodies.

The chairman of the board (Mr H. J. Beswick) remarked that the board had better go out of office altogether in the light of such a communication. Mr Ford, Mayor of Riccarton, explained tho intention of the communication of the Borough Council. There was no criticism of the board in any way at all—it was only a case of throwing out a suggestion. His council would rather see the electric lines shifted than that the trees should be cut out. Those particular lines came within their jurisdiction. Mr Beswick said at first glance the letter seemed rather a vote of no confidence in tho Domains Board. The board would be only too willing to accept any assistance the local bodies could give. It was decided to reply that tho trees bad been cut down owing to mutilation caused by them being lopped off as they overhung electric wires, and in future the board would be pleased to receive any advice from the local bodies. Later the matter again came under discussion when the curator (Air James Young) in his report stated that a paragraph had appeared in the papers that during tho last four or five years in which the domain had been iu his charge there had been a great tendency te cut down tall trees and to plant shrubs. The statement had been made at a meeting of the Riccarton Borough Council. " I have absolutely to deny this statement," Mr Young stated, " and consider the remarks contrary to facts and most unfair. I have therefore to ask to havo Mr George, who made the statement, corrected. I may say that during the past ten years I have always endeavoured to save every pood tree, relieving the same bv cutting out the useless and the malformed trees." The chairman said that in the matter of cutting down trees people were apt to forget that tho board had only a short existence, while tho domain would go on for ever. In regard to the cutting down referred to at the meeting of the Ricoarton Borough Council, such had not been the board's will, the encroaching of the branches on tho electric wires causing action to be taken. Mr Hervey said he thought that Mr George should be put right in his statements. Mr George Harper: No trees are cut down unless the board gives its sanction. Mr Hervey: The Mayor of Riccarton was there when it was decided to cut down the trees. It was moved that Mr George should bo written to pointing out that the trees had been removed after the board had mot_ on the spot. Dr Chilton: That is a general statement. Mr Winsor said that the worst oart was that the remarks made at the Riccarton Borough Council by Mr George reflected ion the curator. The motion was carried.