THE TOWN CLOCK

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3843, 7 December 1936, Page 4

THE TOWN CLOCK

WHERE WILL IT BE RE-ERECTED? SEVERAL SUGGESTED SITES. Not much has been heard recently of the Borough Council’s selection of a site for re-erecting the post office clock, but it is expected the Borough Council will discuss the matter at the fortnightly meeting this evening, following receipt of advice from the Minister in • charge of the Police Department, to the eftect that portion of the local police station reserve can be made available. It. should be noted that, the Minister merely says the site “can” be made available, not that it “will.” The inference to be drawn is that a price may be put on the area required or desired; but we understand that when the representative of the Department was in Te Awamutu a fewweeks ago investigating the position with the intention of reporting to the Minister, ho was informed that the Council expected to receive the land free of charge. However, that does not finally dispose of the matter. There is seemingly a divergence of opinion as to whether the police station site—it is at the apex of the triangle where Walton and Redoubt Street converge —is the most suitable one. There have been advocates for erecting the clock tower right in the centre of the roadway where Alexandra, Arawata and Sloane Streets join, it being explained that when Sloane Street is widened—and that seems to be in the near future, when the post office building is remodelled — there should be ample room. Our inquiries go to show that a possible site has not yet been measured to see if there is likely to be room for the clock tower without seriously interfering with vehicular traffic. Advocates claim that it would not be necessary to erect the tower in brick; they prefer a steel lattice structure such as is used in some other towns. A second suggestion is to secure a small area in Sloane Street immediately behind the taxi telephone booth. This locale would enable the clock to be seen from all parts of Alexandra Street, and from at least parts of Sloane and Arawata Streets. A third suggestion advanced some weeks ago was that the big redwood tree at the corner of Rewi and Alexandra Streets should be cut down and the small Crown reserve used for erecting the clock tower. We imagine that it that were seriously intended there would be an outcry on the lines of “Woodman, spare that tree!” though at least one business man nearby would be glad to see the tree removed, for it has caused him a good deal of inconvenience, with the constant fear that some day (or night) the beautiful tree will be blown over in a gale. Another suggested site is the small grass plot in Alexandre. Street right in front of Harden’s petrol station. The grass plot is between the paved roadway and the footpath - kerbing, and a clock erected there would be seen from every part of Alexandra Street business area and from a good portion of the residential area also; it would not entail purchase of land, for it would be on the street itself, though not on a used roadway—and therefore out of the way of traffic. A clock there would be seen from, say, Security Buildings and the intersection of Sloane and Arawata Streets. Both the last two-named sites are on high ground, and therefore a clock tower at either spot would be seen over a wide area. If the matter is brought forward at the Borough Council meeting this evening, as seems probable, it will be interesting to note whether councillors have troubled to inform themselves on possible sites.