VANDALS AT WORK

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6566, 15 September 1948, Page 7

VANDALS AT WORK

SIXTY TREES REMOVED BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY’S LOSS From time to time the public conscience is mildly shocked by reports of vandalism by which private, and public property is destroyed. The mentality of those who are guilty of some wanton interference with things that do not belong to them is hard to understand, but vandalism does go on even in Te Awamutu, which is the last place that should be. so desecrated for everyone lives in pleasant surroundings and poverty and other debasing influences are unknown, or, they should be unknown. The latest reported acts of vandalism are particularly disturbing, for some person or persons, unfortunately unknown, uprooted sixty young trees that had been planted by members of the Te Awamutu Beautifying Society and willing helpers on Arbor Day on the banks of the Mangahoe stream near the Waipa Basketball Association’s new courts. The young trees were taking well and would, had they been spared, made an already attractive spot still more attractive. It is understood that the matter has been reported to the police, but the latter are given a pretty hopeless task for such offenders do not court the limelight or the daylight and their wanton acts, of destruction are carried out in secret, so that detection is difficult. It would appear as if the only way to deal with the noxious thing is to educate the public conscience in an endeavour to instil into warped minds the fact that other people’s property should be left undisturbed. In the meantime the Beautifying Society have lost sixty valuable trees for no sign of the trees have been seen since their removal, and it is hoped that the vandals responsible will be caught up with.