MORE VANDALISM

Southland Times, Issue 24182, 19 July 1940, Page 6

MORE VANDALISM

HOSPITAL BOARD PROPERTY DAMAGED The spread of recent acts of vandalism to the property of the Southland Hospital Board was the cause of concern expressed by members of the board yesterday. The board’s gardener (Mr G. A. R. Petrie), reporting on damage which had been done to the board’s reserve at Kew, stated that during the last school term holidays irreparable damage was caused by children to the native bush, young plantations and even some of the older trees.

“An example of the latter was the felling of one large pine tree and the ring-barking of several others so deeply that they must die very soon,” he said. “Young trees were found cut off at the ground and a large number with the tops broken off. The damage was done at the week-ends, which made the catching of the young vandals most difficult. However, they were finally caught in the act and the matter was then put in the hands of the police. Recently I was informed that adults have been seen regularly entering the patch of bush with an axe and later returning with bundles of wood.” The secretary (Mr A. M. Williams) said that vandalism was rife in several parts of Invercargill. “Now they are trying us out,” he added. The chairman (Mr T. Golden) remarked that it appeared that the culprits had been chased out of Queen’s Park down to Kew. Mrs A. Henderson: We should ask the head teachers of the schools to talk to the children about such matters. The chairman replied that now the police had the matter in hand the board should not have much trouble in the future.