BEAUTIFYING WORK.

Wairarapa Age, 30 July 1936, Page 5

BEAUTIFYING WORK.

OPERATIONS OF MASTERTON SOCIETY. IMPROVEMENTS TO FERNERY. The annual meeting of the Masterton Beautifying Society was held last night, Mr. E. W. Pay ton presiding. Referring to the past year’s operations, Mr. Payton said the work undertaken was very small. This was due not altogether from lack of enthusiasm among members but to lack of work and scope. The society had been deprived by the Borough Council of further street planting and this, he thought, was right in a way. The area that the society had in view along the Waipoua River was also involved in a river improvement scheme and no work was possible there, although the society, in the past, had spent a lot of money in that area. The society was left practically high and dry until some other area came into its hands for beautification. They would have to get new projects in view to enable the society to carry on. With that object in view the society hoped to meet members of the Railways Department in regard to the beautification of the Railway Station area. Members of the committee who had inspected that area were very enthusiastic p.bout the improvements that could, be effected there. It was purely a matter as to whether the Railways Department, in conjunction with the Borough Council, would approve the plans that had been drawn up by the society. It should be possible to make a great improvement to the surroundings of the station, said Mr. Payton and members of the council’s Park Committee had expressed their very hearty support of the scheme. After referring to the possibility of opening a road from the station to Pownall Street Mr. Payton said the only other work carried out during the year was the alterations to the Park Fernery. These had been conscientiously carried out under the supervision of Mr. H. E. Gardner. From all appearances it should now be possible to have a good display in the Fernery. The alterations had cost £lO4. Several members of the society had visited Mount Holdsworth and secured additional ferns.

The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £246 19s 5d in the general account. Of thia amount a sum of £55 15s is credited to the open spaces account, leaving £l9l 4s 5d available for general expenditure. Officers were elected as follow: — Patron, Mr. C. E. Daniell; president, Dr. Archer Hosking; vice-presidents, Miss F. P. Maunsell; Messrs E. W. Payton, H. E. Gardner; committee, Messrs L. Robinson, C. H. Hanley, G. G. Tolhurst, H. F. Frost, A. W. Reynolds and G. R. Croll.

It was decided to place a new seat in South Road, about half way between Kuripuni and Manaia Road. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the hon. auditors, Messrs Low and Cunningham and to the P*ress.