HORTICULTURE MATTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 12

HORTICULTURE MATTERS.

AUCKLAND COUNCIL MEETS. REMITS FOR THE CONFERENCE. A number of remits to the annual conference of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, to bo held in Christchureh next Wednesday, were adopted at a recent meeting of the executive of the Auckland district council of the institute, Mr. J. Hunter presiding. It was decided to recommend the appointment of a national board to exercise advisory control over all botanic gardens in the Dominion. It was also agreed the conference should be asked to urge upon the Auckland City Council and nearby local bodies that immediate consideration be given to the establishment of a botanic garden in Auckland. Other remits dealt with the control of the Waipoua Forest by the Scenery Preservation Board, the oxalis pest, a systematic policy for the control of public reserves, the need of more extensive teachof botany in schools and the desirability of creating an agricultural high school near Auckland. Mr. N. R. W. Thomas was appointed to represent the Auckland council at the conference. Further progress with the council's effort to have the bush area at Waimauku preserved was reported. It was resolved to pat on record the opinion that the Auckland section of the register of judges should have been submitted to the executive before being printed. Messrs. D. Hay, W. H. Rice and G. A. Green were appointed a sub-committee to draft a list of approved gardens in which candidates for the diploma of the institute might receive practical training. It was reported the funds of the plant branch of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, amounting to £22, had been placed to the credit of the institute. It was resolved that steps be taken to form an acclimatisation section of the Auckland council, similar in constitution to the native plant section.

Correspondence relating to a pi-oposal to form a "national botanic garden" at Wilton's Bush, near Wellington, was received. It was resolved to support the suggestions put forward by Dr. A. W. Hill, director of Kew Gardens, for the establishment of gardens; in different parts of New Zealand in order to provide for climatic variations. The action of the secretary in making further efforts to secure a meeting of the special committee of Auckland local bodies was approved.