How to plant an Avenue of Honor

This letter to the Editor, from Cr E. Simpson Hill of Tooradin,  on the best way to plant an Avenue of Honor, was published in the Koo Wee Rup Sun of June 18, 1919. 

Honor Avenues and Tree Planting

(To the Editor)

Sir - The time for planting the above is now at hand. Will you kindly permit me to point out a most important matter in connection therewith, so that material benefit may accrue as the result thereof. Shaded roads in winter mean bad roads, ruts and holes and increased expenditure in upkeep, hence a heavy toll on the rates. The proposal I make will, whilst adding to the beauty of our roads, give us shelter, protection from the bleak west and south winds, and allow the sun to exert its beneficent rays where most needed and when most required, upon our avenues of traffic. Plant our notable evergreen, life-giving, anti-malaria gum trees on the south and west sides of all roads running east and west  and north and south respectively. They will thus afford protection from the heavy rains and bleak winds that sodden our roads and sweep sand and gravel and light blinding away. Plant deciduous trees, such as oak, elm and ash on north and east sides of roads running east and west and north and south respectively. By doing so, when these trees shed their leaves in autumn, they admit the rays of the sun to keep the roads dry and warm in winter and keep down expense. I sincerely hope we shall all see this principle extended all over the State, thereby beautifying our land whilst paying a just tribute to the brave lads and heroes, and at the same time add material wealth in money and kind to our coffers.

E.Simpson Hill.

Councillor, Tooradin Riding, Tooradin, 14/6/19

This would, of course,  mean that the Avenues would have gums on one side of the road and exotic, deciduous trees on the other side of the road. It may have been practical, but not very symmetrical. 

Who was E. Simpson Hill?  Niel Gunson, in The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire had this to say - E.Simpson Hill was a well known contractor who reduced much of the Dalmore country to a fertile plain. Edward Simpson Hill was a Cranbourne Shire Councillor from 1918 to 1924 and Shire President 1922 to 1923. The family had been at Cora Lynn and around 1917 they moved to Tooradin, where his occupation in the Electoral Roll was listed as Postmaster, so not sure how that tallies with him being  a Contractor, maybe that was his weekend occupation. 

Edward Simpson Hill died on July 16, 1930. He was the husband of Charlotte and the father of Abner, Queenie. Roland, Crissie, Dudley, Rosie, Arthur and Ivy. 

The Argus July 17, 1930   http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4099960