SCENERY PRESERVATION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1626, 29 April 1903, Page 2

SCENERY PRESERVATION

The annual meeting of the / Wellington Tree-planting and'Scenery Preservation; Society was held on Friday at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, Sir J. M. Richardson (president-) in the. chair. The president congratulated \ the society. upon having passed the stage of . ' saying that the public were beginning more and more to recognise the justification for its existence. It Should be, he urged, the aim of the in- % habitants of the colony to make this hot only the first commercial; city ;ofr • the colony, but. the, favourme tesiden- • tial place as well. United and energetic measures were being taken to : /frustrate the desire of those who sought. to turn- our passes and cliffs into ad:-, vertising; bphrds. . It was intended to organise;a deputation representing the Wellington and kindred societies to appeal to the Government for some, drastic and repressive measure on this sub- - j eot. • Too much praise, . said Mr Richardson, could not be given to the Government for the energetic and wise measures it had; taken and was still '•“ pursuing to open up the natural beauties of the 'colony. . Vi , Mr J. M. Richardson was unanimoUsv ly re-elected president for the ensuing . year.,- The following other officers , were also elected Vice-presidents, ■ Messrs George Wright and W. F. Bar- - raud ; committee; Messrs W.' U. Meek, W. Callaghan, J. B. Speed, S. N. Ton Sturmer, J. S. Jameson, G. Hurley, T. . Ward, F. G. Bolton and W. T. Glasgow ; auditor, Mr X). Joslin - treasurer, Mr W. Callaghan; secretary, Mr J.VB. • Speed, - .;; . VComplaint was made in reference to - the condition of the Town Belt. Tjfcie: Society/ .has been interesting itself in securing the formation of 'a track; up. Mount; Victoria from the top of Maj ori;banks street, and in answer, to al-ques-tion by ,Mr‘; W- T. Glasgow. Mr Meek •; said that, representatives of the society had had several interviews with the Mayor and the City Engineer. He understood that it had ' been pretty well decided by the City Council to put a road through, from .Majoribanks. street' or from Elizabeth street; This road . would take the, place of the track proposed by. the society. : ' Mr L». G. Reid held , that access should, be given to the whole of the Town Belt from Mount Victoria round , - to road; and the society, he thought, should continue to urge this matter upon the notice of the Council. ; ' r:> &S ■'! . ; """ ■■■ . On the motion of Mr Reid, second-: ■ ,ed by Mr Ward, it was resolved: — u That it be an instruction from the . . incoming committee to interview the Council from time to time with the view of securing better access to the Town Belt, either from a 4ft track ' starting from Mount Victoria ’or from ’speh other point or points as the Council’s means will allow.” ' The report and balance-sheet were’ adopted. A hearty vote of thanks was given to Mr W. Callaghan; hon treasurer, 'for his excellent services to the sooiety. ; —-. ... i. *f v/ 1 ; ;