NO ACTION ON AKAROA SIGN

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33384, 16 November 1973, Page 1

NO ACTION ON AKAROA SIGN

The Akaroa Civic Trust will take no action against the man who painted out most of its sign beside the main road leading into Akaroa — and the sign will remain in its bedaubed state “in the meantime.”

Mr W. E. Moore, an Akaroa resident for 16 years, painted out on Wednesday all the sign except the wording, “Erected by the Akaroa Civic Trust” in protest against roadside hoardings. His was the third attack on the sign—it had been previously smeared with paint and, before it was converted to a steel frame, cut down once, although Mr Moore disclaims responsibility fori these incidents. BOARD MEETING After members of the trust j {board had met yesterday, the! board’s secretary (Mr A. F.j iShaw) said that it would not; {lay a complaint with the! police about Mr Moore. ; “Should any prosecution be brought, it will not have been done on the initative of| the Akaroa Civic Trust, since! the trust has no wish to pro-' vide Mr Moore with a forum .for further publicity for hisj I views,” he said. It was clear.; he said, that Mr Moore had; , hoped that a complaint would ' be laid. The board condemned the method of protest as “muchpublicised vandalism,” and i did not consider that a sign.

on the outskirts of a town, giving essentially the name! of the town, was an advertisement, Mr Shaw said. “It does not share Mr Moore’s view that all signs | are bad signs, nor does it con - i sider that there is the; slightest possibility of this sign being followed by com-' mercial signs,” he said. “The structure itself is not; new. It has stood for many; j years, closer to the town {entrance, and some three! I years ago was given by the: jtrust to the Akaroa Progress; ! Association,” Mr Shaw said. ! “EXPERT DESIGN” ! “The trust then had it re-' jdesigned by an expert graphic! designer and re-erected in a more appropriate position ■ with the blessing of the then; engineer of the Akaroa County Council. Great care j was taken in the design and : lettering, the result being an .attractive sign that was j simple, uncluttered, and almost austere,” he said. i “In the meantime, the sign ■ will have to remain in the condition in which Mr Moore has left it, as his contribution to the betterment of the .environment,”