ARBOR DAY IN TIMARU

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19867, 2 August 1934, Page 7

ARBOR DAY IN TIMARU

REVIVED AFTER LONG LAPSE TREES PLANTED IN NEW RESERVE After a lapse of several years, Arbor Day was revived in Timaru yesterday when, in bright spring sunshine, the Timaru Borough Council took the initial steps in planting out the new reserve in the quarry, which it recently acquired from the Timaru Harbour Board. The Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite), in the presence of members of the Borough Council, Levels County Council, Timaru Horticultural Society and pupils of the Timaru Boys’ High School and Technical High School, planted the first tree in the reserve which, when completed, will extend for two miles to Gleniti and which it is proposed to convert into a scenic drive. The Mayor said that they were met to commemorate Arbor Day, which for many years had not been observed in New Zealand to any great extent, but which an endeavour was now being made to resuscitate. They were starting in a humble way in planting the new reserve recently acquired by the Borough Council, and it was hoped that in time to come it would be a scenic drive from Otipua Road to Gleniti. Most of his hearers were Timaru bom, and he hoped that in later years they would look back as pioneers of the new reserve. The Timaru High School had produced many men of note, and it was fitting that on that occasion he should read the inscription which was on a monument erected by an old boy of the school. The Inscription was: “To Michael John Burke, the discoverer in 1855 of the Mackenzie Pass. O ye who enter the portals of the Mackenzie to found homes, take the word of a child of the misty gorges and plant forest trees for your lives. So shall your mountain facings and river flats be preserved to your children’s children for ever more.” Those were the words of an old boy of the school, and the same would apply to the reserve which they were planting that day. Beautifying the Town.

The Mayor thanked the Rector (Mr W. Thomas) for a very valuable suggestion which he had made at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club. He had suggested that the Council should plant its vacant sections with beautiful trees and he (the speaker) hoped with the support of his Council to take the matter up. (Hear, hear.)

Mr C. E. Kerr, of the Levels County Council, said he recalled the time when Arbor Day was introduced in South Canterbury and he thought it a great pity that it had been abandoned for so many years. The pioneers had made it their duty to plant trees, but lately tree planting had been sadly neglected, particularly in this district. New Zealand was particularly well situated for tree growing, more especially the North Island. The Forestry Department had 300,000 trees planted at Rotorua, which in time would be worth a million pounds. Mr Kerr also said that New Zealand lent itself to tree growing for the wood pulp industry, as the trees came to maturity in about 15 or 20 years’ time. He was pleased to see that the Roadside Beautifying Association was making a move in Canterbury and the Levels County Council was co-operating with it and the Borough Council. "I think Arbor Day is a step in the right direction, and I hope it will be duly celebrated in the future," said Mr Kerr.

“This marks a step in the beautification of Timaru,” said Mr G. Bowker, president of the Timaru Horticultural Society, who said that the Council’s invitation to be present at the function was a compliment to the Society, and he was glad to see that the Council realised that the Society could be of assistance to it. By beautifying Timaru they would attract more visitors to the town and so push the place ahead, which was what they wanted to do. When the roadway was completed through the quarry it would be one of the favourite resorts for citizens and visitors to drive through. Board Proposed. Mr Bowker suggested that, to gain further public interest in the reserve, the assistance of keen gardeners should be obtained to assist the Mayor in the object which he had in view. A board consisting of members of the Council and the public could be appointed and allowed some small expenditure other than that allocated by the Council for the gardens, and fetes could be organised to raise money, for it would take a lot of money to Improve the new reserve. “I am sure that in time to come we will look back on this day as one of the days of our lives,” concluded Mr Bowker. The Mayor then announced that the Reserve had been purchased by the Council, after negotiations with the Timaru Harbour Board and the late Mr J. C. King’s trustees, at a cost of £490 for an area of more than 89 acres. “So you see we made quite a good deal and we are indebted to the Harbour Board for its assistance," said the Mayor, who then planted the first tree, a cork elm, to the accompaniment of cheering. Trees were then planted by the following: Messrs G. Benstead (DeputyMayor). Crs. H. J. Mathers, W. H. Hall. J. R. Hart, P. B. Foote, P. C. Vinnell, W. G. Tweedy, Messrs C. E. Kerr, G. Bowker, G. E. Knowles (chairman of committees of the Horticultural Society), W. Thomas (Rector of Timaru Boys’ High School), E, Killick (town clerk), A. E. Lawrence (editor of “The Timaru Herald”), and by B. Jefferson (head prefect of Timaru Boys’ High School), G. Hunter and Miss Bessie

Geddes (prefects of the Technical High School). Trees also were planted on behalf of Mr G. T. Dawson (chairman of the Harbour Board), and the pupils of the Timaru Girls’ High School, who were unable to be present.