TREE DESTRUCTION IN RIVERTON.

Southland Times, Issue 20201, 11 June 1927, Page 9

TREE DESTRUCTION IN RIVERTON.

To the Editor. Sir, —You in common with hundreds of other Invercargill citizens have doubtless often admired the beautiful growth of native creepers, sycamores and other trees on the roadside between the Riverton bridge and the bowling green. These trees a short time since almost met overhead across one part of the road and without interfering with traffic made a very fine picture. It has, however, been found necessary to have some of the limbs lopped to allow the electric light to show along the road, which is only right if the work had been carried out with the slightest regard to preserving the beauty of the place. But no, the trees have been hacked and disfigured in the most disgusting manner, and now’ what was a beauty spot is an eyesore. Also it appears as if someone has mercilessly destroyed several of the sycamores on the top of the bank overlooking the boat wharves; whether this has been done with the sanction and authority of the council I cannot say.

And now a Mr J. Saunders asks permission to cut down a beautiful clump of trees at the foot of Dallas street simply to allow the light of a street lamp on the opposite side of the road to show on to his mother’s property. The lamps are for lighting the street or the road where the traffic is, not the tracks behind the trees on private property. I should think that the council will absolutely refuse to have any more trees destroyed unless they are an obstruction or menace to traffic.

It is high time this vandalism was stopped, and an attempt made to beautify our little town (which so kindly lends itself to beautification) instead of destroying what beauty spots we have. I think this matter should be taken up by the league and a very strong protest entered against the cutting down of any more trees in the borough, especially by non-rate-payers, without a full investigation.—l am, etc,, “DECIDUOUS.”