REMOVAL OF TREES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3421, 18 February 1936, Page 5

REMOVAL OF TREES

ROW IN HAMILTON ROAD

DANGER TO POWER LINES Y \ . ■ ■ - :

A strong protest regarding the removal of a row of trees bordering Hamilton Road, opposite the water tower is voiced by an old resident of Cambridge in a letter to the Editor of the Independent. In the course of his letter “Fairplay” says:

“It may be that the names of John Ferguson, Richard Reynolds, Thomas Wells and others who planted the trees, mean little to those who control Cambridge now, but the pioneers had a vision of a beautiful township, which the present day controllers do not seem to possess.

“It gave me a severe shock last Friday to see that some of the trees An the beautiful avenue through the town belt on the Hamilton Road had been sacrificed —without need or thought—to what might be termed the inexorable god of machinery. “The individuals responsible could have taken the new pole line through the domain land, on the north side of the trees, and have had ample space for future developments. As it is, they have felled and mutilated for nothing but temporary benefit, and probably at a monetary cost nearly as much as the suggested deviation. Even now it would be better to move the line rather than do / further damage to the trees. T hope that an influential protest will be made, so that similar outrages may be prevented in future.’ CHAIRMAN’S EXPLANATION 1 When invited to make a statement with regard to “Fairplay’s” letter, the chairman of the Domain Board, Air S. Lewis, said that he had together with all the members of the board, made a careful inspection ol Ahe trees before coming to a decision. The Domain Board had been approached by the Power Board some months ago with a request that the trees should be lopped so that they would not be a menace to the wires. The board had been loath to have anything done to the trees, but they realised that they had to comply with.the law, and after a very careful survey of the whole position, they had given the Power Board permission to cut ’down the row of trees contiguous to the fence line. “We were prompted to do this” said Mr Lewis, “because lopping leaves the trees in a most unsightly coldition. It means 'ra!soriliaF-atten-tion must be given periodically as the years go on, for the same purpose. The danger to the power lines would not be entirely removed by lopping.

“Moreover,” he concluded, “we still have a row of trees for the |Wbole line where the trees are heft cut down. These will now have

room to spread and to improve. These trees cannot interfere with Ihe power lines, as they stand well hack, from 15 to 20 feet from the fence.”