'A Reader's Questions the Editor of the "Nowrt-Cuana Darcy News Sin—During the sweltering heat of the past few weeks, frequently while] passing along Avenue Haig and Avenue Foch, T have noticed gangs] of SMC. workman ruthlessly hacking off the branches of the trees Uning the roadside.
The streets are quivering areas of oiling heat, the asphalt roadway oozes forth molten tar, the Chinese pedestrians and residents seek out tvery cranny offering a few square Inches of shade from the relentless sun and yet in spite of these facts the official vandals tear down the branches of the trees.
Once upon a time Avenue, Haig] from the corner of Route Say Zoos to Edinburgh Road was indeed Beauty spot, with its long avenue of trees, most of which met overhead with their shady branches, but} now these poor trees have been $0 chopped down and mutilated that all beauty has long since gone.
Let us examine for a moment the necessity or otherwise for this drastic cutting down of trees in the Settlement.
Avenue Foth has no tramways, but 'a bus service operates up and down the road. The average tree is such a height to allow any bus to lear the branches, but as the trees fre cut down on the side overlooking {the footpath. also, it does not seem it is a question of guarding against the buses. The next item to consider is the need to keep the trees clear of the electric power cables and as the average tree allows space of from ten to fifteen fect clearance between the tree tops and. the cables, it does not seem to be the electri cables that are being protect:
Then what is the reason? Perhaps you will be able to get this question answered, but the object of my letter is to appeal to the person or persons concerned to stop this drastic! chopping of our fine trees and endeavour to restore them to that state of beauty which in the past made] Shanghai streets a cause of admiration to al.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.