OUT OF HARMONY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 94, 22 April 1931, Page 10

OUT OF HARMONY.

RAILWAY ADVERTISING

NEW DEPARTURE EVIDENT,

Evidence that the Railway Department is out for every penny of revenue that can be got is eeen at the new Auckland station.' There may also he seen evidence that the station and its environs may become an unsightly mass of advertising matter.

In the past complaint has been made with respect to advertising hoardings disfiguring the city, and on at least one occasion tse Railway Department was prevailed upon to alter its policy. The present state of the hoardings does not add to the beauty of the station surroundings, but there is an excuse for it. The contracts had been let before the new station was built, and when the old site went ou£ of existence those contracts had to be honoured. A promise has been made, however, that as the contracts expire other advertising matter of a more artistic nature will be substituted.

It has always been believed' that the front part of the railway station would be kept free from advertising hoardings. Beautiful gardens have been laid Out and arrangements made to construct the fronts of other railway buildings in artistic designs, in keeping with the main building. The central idea was to have the whole of the environs of the station in keeping with the architectural design of the building.

Evidently these aesthetic ideas have been thrown overboard, for to-day workmen were painting a huge trade advertisement on the eicle of thfe overhead bridge leading out of the station platforms to the Parnell Rise., The colour scheme, with its base of green, will match the surroundings; but there ie no doubt that the advertisement will be entirely out of harmony.