ADVERTISING ON TRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 48, 27 February 1911, Page 3

ADVERTISING ON TRAMS.

<& .—. — AN EX-MAYOR'S PROTEST. The decision of the City Council to use the tram cars for advertising purposes is strongly condemned by tho Hon. i - il * v - Hislcp, an ex-Mayor of the City. I think," he- remarked to a Post reporter to-day, "that it is a distinct retrogression. In Wellington in the past there seems to have been a very healthy feeling with regard to advertisements winch disfigure public places and do injury to sentiment against advertising in tram cars and other public property. ' Advertising along the roadsides has been discouraged, and a marked improvement in that respect has taken place. It is extremely disappointing that for the sake of a few pounds the council should prevent, the cars from being_ what they might be— a place of rc «t from business cares and conflict. Ii the council was desirous of utilising the inside of tho cars they could afford recreation, especially to strangers travelling round, by using the spare places as the railway authorities do in their cars, for the display of appropriate views of places about Wellington. I have been astonished to find amongst people who have long resided here an extraordinary amount of ignorance of the beauty spots of Wellington. "Views of the Botanical Gardens, the two water reservoirs, peeps of Ngahauranga and other gorges could be exhibit- | ed, and the notion that is abroad that j Wellington is barren of such places could ' 'be corrected. "A visitor some little time ago," Mr. j Hislop added, "who had taken the I trouble to go round the environs of ! Wellington declared that it possessed some of the most picturesque features he had ever seen. We should advertise these features. Even from a utilitarian point of view I believe this would pay the council better than administering to the cupidity of advertisers." TO THE EDITOE. Sir,— l write to protest against the action of the City Council in deciding to allow the insides of the tarn cars to be used for the purposes of advertising. As if there was not enough ugliness already m the streets of Wellington. Why, Sir, you can hardly walk a yard without stumbling across some hideous advertisement, setting forth the qualities of somebody's eoap, the curative properties of so-and-so's pills, somebody's corsets, etc. lake a walk in Manners, Cuba or Willis streets, and what do you find? Shops of all kinds, crowding upon one another, with verandahs covered with advertisements, literally shrieking at you. Supposing you take a stroll around the beach, or go for a ride in the train, tho same thing happens. There you will see the sides of the hills covered. with advertisements, reminding of the sordidnecs of everyday life. And, now, feir, our City Fathers, with one honourable exception, want to force this business upon the citizens of Wellington. Surely, as you have put it in to-night's Post, it smacks of robbing Peter to pay Paul, with this difference: That the peopl© lose an amount by tho transaction. Supposing, for argument sake, that the council obtains £1000 for the use of the cars. It means that the people will pay about £1200 to £1400 to obtain the £1000, with the "benefit" of having the. insides of the cars smothered with these wretched advertisements. This, Sir, is very false economy. All these advertisements add to the cost of the goods. As you have remarked, tho City Councillors have only glanced at th& surface of the business, jherefore, Sir, 1 pufc it to the citizens of Wellington to protest against tho action of the City Council, and, if necessary, to hold a public meeting condemning their action. I have enclosed my addz'ess, so that if any of youi readers think as I do on the matter, wo can tako further action. — I am, etc., . GEO. MUMFOBD. 25th February. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — If the members of the Wellington City Council could have seen and appreciated the transformation which has been effected in the Christchurch electric trams sinco tho Tramway Board there decided to permit advertising on the cars, they would not have been in such haste to follow the lead set them by the City of the Plains. Up to a few weeks ago Christchurch was justly proud of the aieat and attractive appearance of its trams. The colour scheme adopted wa& particularly pleasing to the eye. To-day, however, every person who glances at a car to note the destinationboard, is assaulted with a demand to drink somebody's " curly-tipped tea," or urged to consume " pa'k pills for dejected people." These and other similar announcements are repugnant to most people, despite the alleged supervision which tho .Tramway Board is supposed to exercise over the class of advertise•ment which is deemed sufficiently subdued to warrant a place on the top of * oar. If the residents of Christchurcli had any voice in the matter now. they would assuredly vote to have these advertisements removed to their proper ?lace — on some back street hoarding, am etc., CITIZEN. 24th February.