Inconvenience from ban

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33189, 31 March 1973, Page 1

Inconvenience from ban

The Christchurch City Council’s ban on private traffic in the north-west j quadrant of Cathedral Square is causing inconvenience to Government departments in the Government Life building.

; The building is the biggest; 'Government department; [centre in Christchurch, hous-! ing about 500 public servants; [in the Government Tourist! [Bureau, the State Services' (Commission, the Customs De-[ Ipartment, the Inland Revenue [Department, the Department; lof Trade and Industry, and: (the Government Life Insurlance Office. ' Departments had leased; [space in the building some; I time ago, and were now be-j [ing denied full access to the [building, as were members I 'of the public who had busi-| ness there, the district senior; inspector of the State Ser-i vices Commission (Mr D. A. I Warmington) said yesterday.] Government Life was now discussing the matter with! the City Council, Mr Warm-1 ington said. The Government Offices) Accommodation Board had! [taken the space in the Government Life building in good! faith, “and now we find wel are unable to use it in the' manner we anticipated.” ; He said the proposed issue of stickers to vehicles per-] mitted to use the road would] be impractical. ; The departments had earmarks in the building, but, I these were used by a large: number and variety of ve-i [hides. I (Inquiries made with the I [Ministry of Transport by I [“The Press” yesterday failed to produce any legal "support: for the use of stickers to give certain individual vehicles priority over others on a] public road. The law permits] distinguishing between I classes of vehicle, but not! [between individuals in the [vehicles.) SUITE I There was a regular need )for service vehicles and cars [with V.I.P. visitors to call [at the building, Mr Warming-, [ton said. If the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) or Ministers [wished to use the Ministerial [suite in the building they had, under the City Council scheme, no right to be brought to the building by [car- —unless they hired a taxi [for the trip, or acquired a i council sticker.

“We have people who are b paraplegics, and who have,' legitimate business in this! building. They must'come byi vehicle. But there is no pro-; vision for them. “We have paraplegics seek- i ing employment. We have, elderly people who must be; driven to the building. Wei have people working here' who are temporarily inca-' pacitated—they cannot afford to take taxis every day.” | The building also included staff training facilities and, conference rooms. The Min-( isterial suite was frequently; used for ad hoc judicial in-; quiry hearings. “This necessitates bringing! bulky equipment and files; which it is quite impractical; to carry’ for any distance. Wei should have the right to bring; vehicles to the front of the l building. “We should not have to get special approval to get to our own building,” he said. If the situation did not change, the result would be great inconvenience and cost, and loss of efficiency. All departments had many important visitors. At present an official car would have to drop them on the other side of the Square, and they ! would have to walk across | to the Government Life) ; building. I