THE SQUARE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19917, 2 May 1930, Page 14

THE SQUARE.

CATHEDRAL GROUNDS. NEGOTIATIONS FOR EXCHANGE. As indicated in the statement made by the Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) at the conclusion of the meeting on Tuesday of the Combined Committee which is considering the improvement of the lay-out of Cathedral square, it is in* tended to have a further consultation with the Cathedral Chapter on the matter on which agreement has net been reached. r ■ This matter is the adjustment of the width of the strip of land in front of the Cathedral, which it is proposed that the City should hand over to the Chapter in exchange for the land to be taken for roading purposes On the wings of the Cathedral. The Combined Committee has offered a width of twenty feet, but the Chapter has asked for twenty-six feet, on the ground that that amount of land is necessary in order to provide an equivalent to the area proposed to be taken from the Cathedral site on the wings. The plan provides that the roadway ob the north and south sides of the Cathedral should be widened by taking in portions of the Cathedral grounds and handing over to the Chapter additional land further east along those sides. This would reduce the width of roadway at its narrowest point to thirty-one feet. The roadway would then have to carry a single tram traek in addition to ordinary traffic. It is proposed to substitute two tramway shelters on Bafety zones, one at the northern and the other at the southern end of the Cathedral frontage/ in place of the existing shelter. A necessary step resulting from the adoption of the new lay-out will be the provision of new conveniences for women in the Square, and the establishment of a new parcels office, there being no intention to use either of the new shelters for offices. The plan provides for single tram tracks only on the eastern side of the Square, and these tracks will have a shelter on one side and a safety zone on the other. Vehicular traffic will have to pass on the outside of the safety zones. The Chapter has offered to allow footpaths to be provided at the back of the shelters nearest to the Cathedral grounds. It is understood that if the new layout for the Square is adopted the Tramway Board may decide to lay. a single track in Manchester street from the Clock Tower to Worcester street, and that the Sumner and New Brighton trams will be brought into the Square along this route, so as to reduce the congestion at the "bottleneck." These trams wonld then leave the Square ▼la Dalgetr'a corner. The proposed alterations include the restoration of the Godley statue to its original site on the reserve in the centre of the Square.