TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 8 June 1909, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Amons the established industries of NelAmong n . a the Bnnual winter riBWOOO- hunt tor firewood by men hunger, and boys, who obtain permission from the l^'ty Council to "trim" willows along the river banks, or, a* often or not, taKe that permission for granted. The bunt is not confined to the willows or to the river banks, ior the sound of the axe may be heard even in the Botanic Keserve, where a good deal of more or le«j licensed wood-chopping goes on. Within reason, the practice has its merits—it is economical from the point ot view of the Corporation and of the firewood hunter. But there is need of much closer supervision and control than exercised at present, ior the point of view of the man or boy after firewood is not that of those who desire to preserve our woodland scenery within the precincts of the city. The former I discern a great deal more rotten limbs and danger to the public from decaying trees likely to fall and crush them than facts appear to warrant. The latest ravage wrought by the saw and axe is to the historic old willow tree on the bank of the Maitai opposite Wainui House. The tree has been one of the most beautiful and wide-spreading in the city, and its original shoot came from the grave of Napoleon at St. Helena. At some time or other picnic parties have , lit fires beside the trunk, and the "result seems to have b«en to send decay through one side. The main overhanging branches also have rotted in the centre, though the\ appear to have a good deal of sound protecting wood round the cores. In any case, it was thought that the branch overhanging the roadway was a danger to traffic, and it has been shorn 'away, leaving* the once magnificent tree with the appearance, as a lady ex pressed it yesterday afternoon, like "a sow with one year." Great pieces ol timber consequently have been cut oul of tho tree, and tho present appearance is very greatly disfigured, especially as ono sees it from the bridge over tht Brook. Now that the work of destruc tion, presumably necessary, has beer done, however, it is needful that tht tree should be cut out uniformly, to pro serve symmetry, and that is a worlt which should be carried out under su pcrvis'ion. There are other willows in the vicinity which would also re pay judicious pruning — and 6ave theii lives, in fact; but the necessary opera tions should not be left to the option ol the mere firewood-hunter. The opinior one is apt to form when inspecting the wood that has been taken out of th« willow under notice is that too much has been cut away. But now that sc much has been removed the job should not be left as it is. The tree should be pruned evenly, and then, though the spreading branches now shorn may not .be replaced for years, the sprina greenery will quickly cover the markf of the saw and the axe. The lesson taught is that the wild, free firewoodhunter should not be permitted to cut out willow tro r s without strictest supervision and direction. Last year, and the year before, boys went along the Maitai banks slashing down young willows, and playing havoc generally till attention was called to their doings, and now one of the finest willows in the city has been hacked about to an unnecessary and superfluous extent.