SOME LOCAL FEATURES 39 



Cliffs, starting from the Foreshore in front of the 

 People's Palace and Aquarium, where it is fairly 

 well sheltered from the north by the hills and town 

 buildings, the principal trees and shrubs noticed 

 are : Privet, the foliage of which is very much cut 

 up by the winds on its seaward side ; Broad-leaved 

 Holly, healthy and fine ; Common Elder, very 

 much cut up ; Olearia Haastii, with little signs of 

 injury, proving its extreme hardiness as a sea- 

 side plant ; and Sycamore, which is in excellent 

 condition. 



The portion of the town to the west, passing 

 from the sea under the Valley Bridge, is beauti- 

 fully wooded. The trees nearest the sea, which 

 are mostly Elm and Sycamore, are rather stunted 

 in growth, but farther inland the others sheltered 

 by these gradually become more luxuriant. Upon 

 the steep slopes on the cliffs southwards, in full 

 exposure to the north and north-east winds, are 

 some stunted Sycamores and Willows ; here the 

 disadvantages attending thin planting are plainly 

 in evidence. At the higher altitudes the benefits 

 attending shelter afforded by trees growing thickly, 

 upon others beyond, are particularly noticeable, 

 those in full exposure to the north and north- 

 east being more or less stunted in growth, while 

 the others which they shelter are larger and 

 healthier specimens. Lower down, a Copper 

 Beech shows a struggling existence, its dark 



