BEAUTIFYING ASSOCIATION’S WORK.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 518, 3 September 1902, Page 2

BEAUTIFYING ASSOCIATION’S WORK.

DISCUSSION IN COUNCIL.

At the Council mooting last night Cr Harding moved that a voto of thanks bo accordod to the Beautifying Association for tho assistance rendered in planting tho Council’s beach property and elsewhere. He spoke highly of the Association’s work, and said he thought they were hardly giving it sufficient recognition. Cr Kennedy said ho folt strongly in this matter. The Council were treating tho Association too curtly. These acknowledgments had to be absolutely dragged out of the Council. At the last mooting tho Inspector had reported that he had had trees planted at the depot, but not one word of acknowledgment was given of tho Beautifying Association, which had supplied the trees, and whose men had planted them ; it was made to appear as if tho work had been dono by the Council's officials. That night the Inspector had gone so far as to report that thanks woro duo to Mr Darton and Mr Wilson, It wp to the Association tho thanks wero due, Ho did not want to raise any quibble, but ho folt that tho Association had been overlooked and ho wanted it understood that it was an auxiliary to tho Council, had supplied and planted tho trees, and that sufficient recognition should bo given of the work done for tho borough. Cr Whinray said ho took rather a different view. Tho Inspector had identified himself with the Association, and had reported on the subject as being part of his duty. He had not dono anything in a deprecatory spirit, but rather tho other

way. He thought Cr Kennedy was taking a wrong stand in tho matter. The Mayor said he felt the same as Cr Whinray. Had he (tho Mayor) not insisted there would not havo been any trees planted at the depot that season. Ho had for weeks urged it upon the Inspector, and finally got him to obtain some ngaios from Murcwai. These came in, and ho (the Mayor) was told they were to bo put in the nursery for a year in order to get them to grow. He objected to that, and said they ought to bo planted on the ground at once, and thus have tho year’s growth. Whilst he was ready to support the Association he felt that tho Council had taken the right stand in that matter, and it was through that stand the trees had been planted. Cr Kennedy : All I ask is that tho Association be recognised. Tho Mayor: Certainly, gnd it is proposed to do so by letter. Cr Kennedy said ho was not referring to that motion. The Mayor: Cr Kennedy thinks they voluntarily came forward to do tho work, but we pressed for it to be done. Cr Kennedy: You would have resented it as an impertinence if they had done it of themselves.

In reply to Cr Miller, the Inspector said that all the ngaio trees had really been supplied by the Association, as some cabbage trees had been given in exchango. The only cost to the Council had been the 10s passed that evening. Cr Lysnar said the Beautifying Association was entitled to more credit than they had received in the reports. He himselfhad a hazy impression that the Association was going to supply plants, but had no idea that so much-was being done, and the Association had a grievance in credit not being given in the officer’s report. Cr Whinray : Yyh all knew tho Assocition was a useful’ auxiliary.

Cr Lysnar : Yes, but wo did not know that the 700 trees came from the Association, as well as the labor. Cr Jones considered the whole matper was a storm in a teapot, owing to the Council not attending to their business. The Inspector’s report had been presented to them on the understanding that- they had a reasonable recollection of what they had already done. They should read the report with the information already sup--u-n *“ cr Kennedy: Wkt- information;? Cr J /f res read a resolution of Augusu 11, thanking the Association, and added : We thanked them before the trees were planted. L Cr Kennedy: But not afterwards. Cr Jones : We thanked them in anticipation. He was as desirous as anyone to see the Association recognised, but good would not be done by making enemies. There was no ground for suggesting the reports threw cold water on the Association's work.

Cr Bright thought that the main point was being missed. He was satisfied that the Association was prepared to continue their good work, irrespective of whether they received praise or thanks ; but as the Association looked to tho public for support, it was natural that the public desired to know what was being done with their money. These reserves that were being planted were out of the way of ordinary traffic, and by giving publicity to the workbeing done, it was better for the Associa-

tion and better for the Borough, and helped in obtaining funds for further work. He would support any proposal that would help to give wide publicity to the good work done. Cr Whinray : I think this comes up in a different form now.

Cr Kennedy: You are one of those people who always throw some cold water on anything. Cr Whinray : I beg your pardon. Tho Mayor: The motion will now be put. The motion was carried, with an emphatic “no ” from Cr Whinray. _ I Cr Jones mentioned that in going around Dr Woblmann had been observing the Society’s work and had spoken of it in a very way.