P.O, council yards 'appallingly untidy’

Press, 4 October 1985, Page 5

P.O, council yards 'appallingly untidy’

The Post Office came in for a lashing from the Christchurch City Council yesterday for its “appallingly untidy” properties in the inner city. Councillors also took their own works division to task for the untidy state of its Ferry Road yard. Cr Alex Clark complained about Post Office properties in Montreal Street and Antigua Street, saying that weeds and rubbish had been allowed to collect. The Post Office was the worst offender, in terms of lack of upkeep of sections, in Christchurch, he said. Previous requests to tidy

the properties had obviously not been heeded. “The Post Office has a shocking record, second only to the City Council’s own,” said Cr Clark. Cr Helen Garrett said the council’s works yard in Ferry Road needed tidying. Cr Rex Arbuckle said it seemed that since the council had refused a landscaping proposal for the yard’s frontage on Ferry Road — which was dropped from the budget — nothing was being done to keep the yard presentable. The chairman of the works and traffic commit-

tee, Cr Maurice Carter, said, “It is easier said than done to have the yard tidied up.” He said he had mentioned it to works staff. Cr Garrett said she was particularly concerned about the neglect of the wetlands and saltmarsh areas in the yard along Humphreys Drive. These should be protected, she said. The town-planning committee will write an “extra stiff’ letter to the Post Office about its properties, and the works division will be asked to attend to the council yard.