CHEAP ECONOMY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17098, 22 February 1916, Page 6

CHEAP ECONOMY.

+ We doubt if the public will regard with favour the Tramway Board's decision to permit the backs of car-seats to be covered with advertisements. Mr A. S. Taylor and the Hon J. Barr made a proper protest, the former pointing out the inconvenience of such an arrangement and how unsightly the seats must be; but the board was tempted by a small addition to its revenue. It seems not worth while to further disfigure the cars in this way. There is, unfortunately, a tendency among some of our local bodies to pay insufficient attention to aesthetics, which are constantly being sacrificed to utilities. Some of these sacrifices are probably unavoidable, as for example the numerous poles erected to carry electric, wires. But. that could no doubt be minimised if a little more money were spent, and we look forward to the day when most of this impedimenta, will be placed underneath the ground. If some better control could be exercised in regard to buildings, hoardings and fences a great deal of unsightliness could be abolished. Not many cities so lend themselves to sympathetic treatment in this respect as does Christchurch, with its wealth of vegetation, its adequate thoroughfares and the Avon River winding here and there. Members of local bodies are concerned very much, necessarily, with the financial aspect of their undertakings, but savings can be effected and revenue increased at too high a price. A good many modern citias are rendered more or less ugly by indiscriminate advertising, but the prevalence of the evil need not be encouraged by public mon, and there should be sufficient popular pride in the natural beauties of this city to keep the mischief down. Advertising on tho scats of tram cars appears to us a peculiarly cheap and objectionable way to get a little money. The one redeeming thing about it is that the disfigurements that are to be introduced may persuade passengers to take more interest than they otherwise would in the surrounding sccuory.