TREE PLANTING IN SOUTHLAND BEAUTIFICATION OF ROADS

Southland Times, Issue 24565, 14 October 1941, Page 6

TREE PLANTING IN SOUTHLAND

BEAUTIFICATION OF ROADS

The planting of trees in Southland for road beautification was discussed briefly at a meeting of the Automobile Association (Southland) last night. A letter was received from the Southland Progress League stating that the district engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr W. G. Pearce) attended a recent meeting of the executive and gave an interesting address on the subject of road beautification. Mr Pearce divided his address into eight points under the heading of “Possible disadvantages” and five points under the heading of “Requirements for the satisfactory establishment of trees.”

“From the newspaper reports of the meeting it appears that the disadvantages of tree planting were emphasized rather than the advantages,” remarked the president (Mr M. M. Macdonald). He did not think the disadvantages were very serious because obviously trees would be planted only in suitable areas.

Dr D. R. Jennings, who was present at the Progress League meeting, said that Mr Pearce spoke very* interestingly from an engineer’s point of view, although he had pointed out many disadvantages of tree planting on main highways. However, Mr Pearce had agreed that flax and toitoi could quite well be planted in certain areas, notably the Bluff road. Mr F. E. R. Booth said he did not think that the Bluff road would be very suitable because of the winds. No action was taken.