AMENITIES SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25277, 14 July 1943, Page 4

AMENITIES SOCIETY

MEETING OF COMMITTEE A meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Amenities Society was held on Monday. Mr Crosby Morris occupied the chair, and there were' also present— Mesdames C. M. Begg and H. L. Cook, Messrs R. Fountain, J. L. Salmond, J. McGeorge, James Begg, John Wilson, P. O. Smellie, Merrett Wilkinson, A. C. Cameron, and Dr Charles Begg. ' It was decided that a sub-committce consisting of Messrs D. Tannock, P. O. Smellie, and James Begg should confer with the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce with a view to learning details cf the afforestation proposals which the chamber was presenting to the Rehabilitation Council. Mr Begg asked if it would not be possible to plant hard wbods as well as soft woods. Mr Tannock replied that hard woods were just as suitable for planting, but it took longer to obtain a return from them. It was now recognised that the best forests consisted of a combination of hard woods and soft woeds. The best woods to plant, he added, were beech and oak, and larch could also be planted for power poles. Totara took 400 years to grow to a size suitable for commercial purposes. Silver birch was an, excellent timber for commercial purposes, as it could be turned to a variety of uses. Mr H. P. Kidson wrote asking if the society could encourage people to plant tree lucerne to provide food for the bellbirds and other native birds. A discussion ensued, and it was decided that the public should be recommended to plant both scarlet gums and tree lucerne. Attention was again drawn to the -unsightly state cf the Southern Cemetery, and it was resolved to offer the City Corporation 100 silver birches and 100 tree lucernes for planting. It was also decided to ask the council if it would agree to plant the roadside in the neighbourhood of the cemetery. v

Mr Morris expressed appreciation of the work which had been done by the committee of the Belleknowes Golf Club in planting trees, and it was . agreed that the society should offer trees for further planting if these were required. A committee consisting of Messrs D. Tannock, J. Simpson, R. Fountain, M. Wilkinson, and A. C. Cameron was appointed to confer with the, City Council and schools regarding arrangements for Arbor Day. The secretary (Mr A. C. Cameron) reported that' a truck of tree ferns was being collected in the Owaka district, and would shortly be available for planting on the Town Belt. A recommendation was carried that these should be planted on the Town - Belt in the vicinity of Littlebourne and Duchess avenue.