WORK IN DOMAINS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20280, 14 April 1934, Page 13

WORK IN DOMAINS.

Meeting of the Board. Progress made wltii work in the Botanic (iardens and Magley Park was reported on at a meeting yesterday afternoon of the Christchurch Domains Board. Mr IT. Kitson presided. The curator, Mr J. A. M’Pherson. reported that owing to the alterations to the width of RJccarton Avenue, some pruning of tres had been necessary, but Uiis work had been done without disfigurement being caused. The cycle track and pathway in Hagley Park, from the Armagh Street Bridge to the Fendalton entrance, had been tar-sealed, and other tracks had been cleaned. Work on forming a pathway to the Pilgrims’ well was nearing completion, and the bank above the well would be sown in grass during the coming month. Bedding out of the spring display would commence as soon as frosts had cut down the present bedding. The main spring display would consist of wallflowers, forget-me-nots and tulips, and a special feature would be made of ranunculus and anemones. The labelling of large trees on the lawns was nearing completion, and further labelling would be undertaken during the winter. Plants for next summer were being propagated, and there was a plentiful supply available for spring. The displays in the Cunningham and Townend houses were still quite good. New central staging had been erected in the Townend house for the display of pot plants. Regarding the employment of unemployed n<«n, Mr M’Pherson said that eighty No. 5 men were engaged. It was not intended to increase this number, and there was a possibility that it would be further reduced. On a recent visit south he was able to obtain by exchange many new plants from Timaru, Dunedin. Gore and Invercargill. Donations of plants from interested citizens continued to be received. Rue Plants. Further plants of the rare Coxella, from the Chatham Islands, Celmisia dubia from Mount Rockfort, and various

native plants from Mount Cheeseman and the Cass district, had been secured. The number of narcissi for planting in the woodland during the coming month now totalled 40.500. The chairman of the Finance Committee. Mr M. K. Lyons, reported that the year’s work ended with a surplus of £430 8s 11d. The receipts were better than anticipated, due to some extent to the increase in rents for sporta areas.