COAT OF ARMS FOR CHRISTCHURCH

Press, Volume LXXXIIi, Issue 25302, 30 September 1947, Page 5

COAT OF ARMS FOR CHRISTCHURCH

SUGGESTION FOR NEW DESIGN A properly registered coat of arms for the city of Christchurch will probably be obtained before the centenary of Canterbury in 1950. The City Council last evening adopted a suggestion to this effect from the advisory committee on civic beautification, and appointed the Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast), Mr R. S. D. Harman, and Mr J A. Johnstone, of the School of Art. as a committee to make investigations In a letter to the expansion and development committee, the advisory committee on civic beautification stated that the present coat of arms had •no standing and was against heraldic traditions. It was possible that •a new one could be designed that would better reflect the life of the community and the aspirations of New Zealand. The Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast) said the city’s coat of arms was not registered, and was decorative rather than authentic. Some years ago the city architect at the time incorporated the city’s official seal in a design which was not a coat of arms. Mr Feast said that all overseas cities, and most cities in New Zealand had their coats of arms registered. The grant of a coat of arms was made by the Royal College of Heralds in England after a full inquiry. There was nothing tangible in it, but there was something to be said for it in respect of the dignity of the city.