Boats on the Avon

Press, 12 June 1984, Page 12

Boats on the Avon

Sir,—l implore all Christchurch residents to support Maurice Simes in his protest against jet boats on the Avon River. I hope the City Council committee which considers the applications will not allow the commercial aspects of the proposal to override the wishes of all those, including many tourists, who object to visual and other pollution of our tranquil waterway. The Avon River is a natural asset that adds much to the unique quality of our city. To allow it to be disturbed by any mechanical monstrosity such as that illustrated (“The Press,” June 8) would be vandalism of the worst kind. — Yours, etc., M. B. COX, June 8, 1984. Godley statue Sir,—For the benefit of schoolchildren studying the history of

Christchurch, may I point out that the Godley statue was not erected in 1865 (“The Press,” Saturday, June 9). It was unveiled on August 6, 1867 — some months later than intended because the base of the finished statue was not according to the specifications sent out earlier from England. It would not, therefore, fit on to the plinth prepared (with emblematic oak and fern-leaf decoration) by W. Brassington. He had, therefore, to prepare the simpler, existing base. Some of your readers may not be aware that the statue was cast from Russian gun-metal retrieved from the Crimea and was, it is understood, the first public statue erected in New Zealand. It is pleasing to see an interest being taken in another of the city’s treasures. — Yours, etc., W. J. A. BRITTENDEN. June 11, 1984.