Time capsule back to resting place

Press, 4 April 1989, Page 7

Time capsule back to resting place

Representatives of the Christchurch firm which made the casing for the 1932 time capsule discovered during the resiting of the Captain Cook statue in Victoria Square yesterday helped return it to its resting place. The manager of the Walton Company, Mr Courtenay Cooper, said his firm’s name had been engraved on the original capsule and it had agreed to make the new casing for it. The previous capsule was made of copper and although the contents were reasonably well preserved, some of the paper had begun to deteriorate. The new case was made of plastic, encased in polythene, and then dropped into a metal tube. The Mayor of Christchurch, Sir Hamish Hay, sealed the container and replaced it in the base of the statue before a small gathering- of onlookers. Some articles from 1989 were placed in the capsule along with the original items. They include copies of newspapers, coins, a $1 and $2 note, a Christchurch City Council handbook, a photograph of the Victoria Square redevelopment and a message from Sir Hamish. The message was not unlike that of the 1932 City Council, which said the country was experiencing difficult times with, a severe depression, unemployment and hardship for many citizens. Like the then Mayor, Mr Sullivan, Sir Hamish said better times were predicted for the future. He referred also to the local government reorganisation and said the present Christchurch City Council would cease to exist on October 14, 1989. The council had been very conscious of the need to revitalise the inner city whilst retaining its original character and heritage. The redevelopment of Victoria Square as a park for the people of Christchurch complemented the new high rise developments and pedestrian malls of the inner , city, he said.