An expatriate looks at changing Christchurch

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34022, 11 December 1975, Page 21

An expatriate looks at changing Christchurch

By

ROGER LASCELLES

The writer of this article was for some years on the standing committee of the South Island Publicity (now Promotion) Association, and has recently returned for a short visit to Christchurch from London, where he was editor and publisher of “New Zealand News," and where he is now a travel publisher.

Returning to one’s home town after 11 years in Europe is an experience m hich, one -supposes, must be akin to that of Rip van M inkle after his long sleep in the Catskill Mountains. •Hd friends have turned grey, some buildings have been demolished, and several significant new ones erected, •nd acquaintances look quizzically at a face which seems familiar, but which not all remember. My first surprise came at the airport where I found that the facilities which were coping so effectively when I left are inadequate for a jumbo-jet load of passengers. A single, lonely baggage carousel and a processing time of more than one hour can scarcely make • good first impression on a tourist coming to New Zealand for the first time, and it is pleasing to learn that tenders are at present under way for extending the overseas wing. 1 hope that we will not merely catch up with other airports, but rather, remember the advice of Stephen Potter, to, "Go one better or you go one worse.” It would be nice to bask in the glory of having the best small international airport in the world. It is galling to have an airport named Harewood falling short of the standards of this Lascelles at least. Almost everyone I have met has asked me what 1 think of Cathedral Square and the Town Hall. As to the Square, it is an adventurous conception and is dramatically better than the former traffic roundabout. I would say we are eight rungs up a 12-rung ladder and we can climb higher. First, two or three fountains would greatly improve the atmosphere of the paved area. Fountains in my view are civic hallmarks, and those who have visited Rome, or the Munich of more recent times, will need no words of mine to encourage them in this view. Falling water has a curiously soothing and pleasant effect on the beholder, and in dusty hot weather both cleanses and cools the air. But a word of warning — fountains are extremely hard to design and call for a rare combination of imaginative, aesthetic. and hydraulic skills, and all in high degree. Second, the absence of a grass surround round the

<War Memorial detracts from its dignity and sanctity. The city might be facing a dilemma here, for the realignment of the low' wall round; the Cathedral grounds seems justified, yet if it is to be; permanent, it might ultimately prove necessary to; go to the unwanted expense of moving the memorial it- ! self. Passing to Press Corner; and indeed elsewhere in the Square, one observes with, dismay the number of ciga-i rette butts cast down by people who would think! ’twice about doing this in! Singapore, where there is a; standing fine of about; SNZ2OO for casting as much; as a sweet paper. Should! more litter bins be provided in strategic places, or should! we increase the penalties for casting litter? Fourth, while the tubs and trees make an attractive! ■contribution to the appear-; ance of the Square, one! ; wonders about the possi-i Ibilities pf tables and large-! diameter table parasols in aj part, or parts, of the paved! area It might be interesting! ;to experiment with outdoor! table service for coffee or! ; drinks during the warmer summer months and on ap- [ propriate occasions. Nor’ would I, tor one, object to; I lunch-time concerts by! bands or string ensembles! ; playing light music. The new telephone boxes! now being installed give a! . first impression of disj ciplined and imaginative ’ design and are a happy change from the older type. I The rather concentrated grouping seems odd; it; ’shouldn’t strictly be necesIsary to go to the Chief Post Office to make a public telephone call, and a judicious ; scatter of these boxes might help. One hopes that the! ’glass sides might help to re-j duce mindless vandalism. Summing up. one senses that the Square is not yet i finished and that it affords much scope for further experimenting. thought, planning and action. The Town Hal! would be a credit to any city of com-! parable, or indeed to many! lof larger size than Christ-1 ’church, and is a most re-; markable and attractive re-’ turn on the investment from; both financial and cultural’ aspects. It is obviously! administered with pride and; care, but the architectural! ’disciplines are of such ail high order as to make one’ sensitive to aesthetic defi-1 Iciencies associated with it. !j One such, was a painted ! i notice propped against a col-l; i umn inside the main doors, i

! advertising a future event. One does not see notices of [this kind in any comparable [hall abroad and it was pain--1 fully incongruous. The i monthly programme sheet posted in key positions wijthin the building and mailed I to subscribers — is the solution for this sort of thing. One does not tape notices to a Taj Mahal, and having created a building of quality, it seems to be to be important to adopt standards compatible with those of the building for street furniture and other design elements in the block. The car-parks at the west end of the building have crooked notices, second-rate lettering, and need of disciplined adjustment. Better still, their elimination and replacement with a lawn would enhance the whole complex and act as a foil jfor the trim austerity of tis i exterior. ROAD SIGNS I This brings me to another [subject — noticed immediately on my return. Many ' thousands of New Zealanders will be familiar with the i excellent pictorial road signs [used throughout Europe and [brought to an even higher I standard in Britain. This [system is used with univer- [ sal acclaim, understanding [and success. To find old ' fashioned signs of disparate sizes, shapes, and letter forms in New Zealand, is disappointing. One might hope that the incoming Minister of Transport will see fit to make his [mark by introducing legislaition for the phased adoption of this quite excellent sys|tem. It is easier for the [tourists we hope to attract, ; gives near instant comprehension, and would i quickly win total acceptance — like decimal coinage. [ A first impression — and [this must be subject to challlenge on technical grounds ' — is that traffic lights seem Ito be on rather longer i phases than is warranted by Traffic volumes, but a most ; serious failing is the direct ' switch from red to green

j without the benefit of iamber, during which time! 'one can get into gear ready; Tor the green. I am by no means an admirer of the English in their' ’treatment of traffic and parking problems, but must! in fairness say that on phase [timings and in the red-; ’amber-green light sequence they are ahead of us. It is almost past belief; That we are reported to be ( contemplating the introduction of the superb I German "green wave” .system on the one hand, yet ’ perpetuating the red "to igreen light sequence on the (other. ’ The compulsory wearing, (of seat-belts is new to me.; fin France, they must be; ’worn outside urban low’ .’speed areas. This rather appeals. I think a fair case cam , also be made for all-time.; wearing by persons in the; ' accident-prone age groups. But I find it annoying and , frustrating to have to engage and disengage the buckles for short local shopping trips in low-speed areas. There might be statistical arguments in support [ of the law, but it is a question of balance between ( safety and convenience. I find it almost humorous to see young men still wearing shoulder-length hair — a ; style steadily fading from ■ the scene in London. Of course, people mav wear their hair in such style asj ; they choose (although I do! ; not like this principle ■’extended to schoolboys), but ’the angry young men who were in the forefront of this fashion in Europe have mostly moved on to other fashions, leaving long hair, so far as may be seen, chiefly for what one might call, the rather less impressive members of society. Perhaps rebellion is being subdued by hygiene. : The general circumstances iof London life afford limited ! opportunities for gardening ■and one has a fresh awaremess of the trees and flowers [of the “Garden City.” They [lend a peaceful and pleasuriable dimension to our short [lives in this turbulent world. (Such beauty has even further value on the routes between airport and town [centre along which many first time — and impressionable — overseas visitors must travel. The new median strips shortly to be planted between the Fendjalton railway crossing and the Avon on the main airport route, seem an excellent development in the progressive policy of civic planting of flowers and shrubs.

The hotel on the former ■ Gas Company site with its : distinctive concave front is certainly a vigorous and significant move in the iocal hotel scene and is a standard raiser in our community, heartily to be approved. The Bank of New Zealand ; building impresses favourably. but some of the subordinate advertising signs ’put up by the bank are out of scale with the building and detract from it. The first-floor banking chamber is working well, and the shops beneath practical, logical, and a wiser use of central ground fluor property than previously. On a matter of detail, 1 might add that, the potentially interesting coin display in the banking chamber calls for a rather better approach in display, captions, and lighting. Knowing iny love of fountains, several people have asked me what 1 think of the fountain by Triangle Chambers at the intersection of High and Colombo Streets. Sadly, but truthfully. I must say, "Not much.” it is visually heavy, a fair percentage of the water jets were blocked when 1 saw it, and the water looked distinctly murky. This site is a splendid one for a fountain, but dare I say it called for something rather more like a ballerina, and rather less ’like a public utility of ap- • peal to the inhabitants of Clochemerle. Unlike a recent newspaper correspondent, I think the principle of subsidising council staff for occasional foreign trips — not always exclusively to England — is probably a good thing in the long run. It is true that some people would gain nothing, no matter how many times they went round the world, but equally there are others of inquiring, discerning, and observant mind to whom such journeys can prove of incalculable value at both the personal and civic levels. Travel has given, and will doubtless continue to give, many of us the privilege of seeing at first hand how other nations tackle some of our common problems. Thus we benefit from a perspective and understanding of these matters. These returned travellers can spur adventurous thinking and support our architects and town planners — the people who should be best qualified to help us develop what we call our “quality of life.” Let 1 us hope their voices will not i remain silent.