THE DISFIGUREMENT OF PARK TERRACE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 12016, 18 October 1904, Page 4

THE DISFIGUREMENT OF PARK TERRACE.

A correspondent, who writes to us to-day, draws attention to an act of gross vandalism on the part of the Telegraph Department in defacing with the most hide--1 ous telephone poles what is admittedly one of the prettiest views, in CSuistchurch, 1 namely, the riverbank on Park terrace. ' Invoked to the thintting out of tho ' trees in thw picturesque spot, the Government has come to the rescue in unexpected ' fashion by filling up the intervals between 1 the trees by the huge baulks of half-dressed ' timber which it favours as the most suitable means of carrying telephone wins.; '.{.Not Park tecraoe alone suffers id this'way,

but almost every street and thoroughfare ] in the city.- For;years past the citiaens of Christchurch, working through the Beautifying Society, tha City Council, and j other public bodies, have taken great pains to make the city pleasant to the eye, and appreciative visitors have gone so far, as to declare that it ia the prettiest town in all New Zealand. To a very large extent their action has been nullified by the Government who have acted throughout on tbe principle of erecting telephone postsof the cheapest and ugliest pattern, quite regardless of the effect from an artistic point of View. In this way tbe architectural effect of our finest buildings has been ruined, and many a pretty suburban street of attractive gardens and picturesque houses has had its scenic aspect i hopelessly destroyed. In tlte instance under notice the Department seems to have been unusually brutal in its cynical disregard of every consideration except that of pounds, shillings and pence. It would have been bad enough if these appalling blots on the landscape had been erected on the,eastern side of Park terrace, that is to say on the footpath in front of the houses; but the Department, in order, apparently, to save a few posts md a few yards of wire, lias deliberately ia- , traded its appalling eyesores among the *illows on Hie river banks. This is an outrage which we hope the public of Chrisi/church will refuse to tolerate. If the Department had any regard for good taste, it would adopt some more artistic form of telephone pole for use in city and suburban streets. If its artistic ingenuity is not equal to this feat, or the. finances of the colony will not stand the expense, at least it should take care, where it has a choice of routes, not to deliberately thrust its timber monstrosities into situations where they are most offensive to the artistic eye.