Hoardings.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20421, 16 December 1931, Page 10

Hoardings.

Those Councillors who support hoardings because they cannot be erected without labour forget—most people will hope—that the trees in Hagley Park could not be cut down without labour, and without providing * thousands of Cords of wood. I-t is not so very long since we printed a letter from a correspondent who had obtained from a single gum-tree cut down on his section eighteen cords of closely-stacked firewood—4 feet, by 4 feet, by 144 feet. It can hiirdly be doubted that if the unemployed of Christchurch - were turned loose in the Gardens and Park with axes and saws they would be able to keep themselves busy and warm, and a}l their dependents warm, till the depression had become a memory. Councillors Andrews and McCombs ought to say, with the Mayor, whether they would vote for such a simple method of reducing unemployment; and if they would not, whether they think it is attacking unemployment in a statesmanlike way to put up hoardings in order to tako them down again* It was ridiculous, also, as Councillor prober pointed out, to " raise the •" question of the law." If the law is obscure it is for those who wish to take advantage of its uncertainties to establish their claim to do so. There is no uncertainty about the feelings of residents in-affected localities, which are definitely hostile, and have been expressed as often as reasonable notice has "been given of the intention to create another nuisance. Now that; the country districts are bestirring themgelYes, largely under the influence of (jity motorists, it is a scandal that the Christchurch City Council should continue to be so. weak and wobbling.