TREE PLANTING ON HIGHWAYS

Southland Times, Issue 24403, 5 April 1941, Page 8

TREE PLANTING ON HIGHWAYS

BEAUTIFICATION SCHEME SUPPORTED Tree planting for the beautification of highways or other roads in the Southland county will have the sympathetic consideration of the Southland County Council. At the meeting of the council yesterday a report on suitable lengths of highways on which trees could be planted was submitted by the engineer (Mr G. R. Milward). As a guiding principle trees should be planted only on the south side of a road which runs east or west, and also only where the trees could be planted on or near the road boundary, without any interference to telegraph or power lines, said the engineer. One highway where suitable trees would enhance the beautification of the road was the Invercargill-Fortrose highway, between Waimatua and the first railway crossing to the east, a length of about four and a-half miles. “I have discussed the matter with the district engineer of railways,” continued Mr Milward, who stated that as far as he was aware the Railway Department would not object as long as the trees were far enough from the railway lines to prevent the falling leaves accumulating on the rails. Another length on the same highway, where there were no power poles, was Gordon’s deviation east of Mokotua, where a length of one mile and a-quarter was available. There were several two-chain roads such as the old Dunedin road and the Mossburn-Five Rivers highway, but as they did not carry much traffic any tree-planting for beautification purposes would be wasted, he added. He therefore recommended consideration of the Invercargill-Fortrose highway as a start.

The council agreed to support the recommendation and assist on roads where no objection was made by farmers.

The council’s policy will be placed before the Invercargill branch of the New Zealand Horticultural Society, which requested the co-operation of the council.