The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1911. TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14451, 25 May 1911, Page 4

The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1911. TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

There is every reason to believe tltat Tirnaru will enjoy the advantages of a continuous telephone service in a few days' time. No formal intimation lias been received to that effect, but more than two-thirds of the total number of subscribers have signed a petition asking- for the change, and His Worship the Mayor has been given to understand by the authorities in Wellington that a two-thirds majority is all that they require for the improvement to be made. Further than that, the Department promised Mr Craigie that if this condition was complied with, and a continuous service introduced as from June Ist, the extra charge of ■•£]. a year upon subscribers would only be enforced as from October Ist, so that subscribers who have already paid their subscriptions for the present half year, will enjoy the benefits of a continuous service at the old rate for four months. This is a very satisfactory position, for which the best thanks of the citizens are due to the Mayor, i who first caused the matter to be taken up by the Borough Council, and has now brought it to a successful issue, ; and also to Mr Cray, President of the Chamber of Commerce, who spared no time nor trouble in inducing the subscribers to take a public view of tlie petition. The extra fee which will commence to be imposed in four mouths time is insignificant wmpared with the perfecting of a service which now is useless for more than a third of the whole time, and it is obvious that the prompt prevention of one large early morning tire through the instrumentality of the extended service might effect a saving equal io the whole cost of I the improved facilities i'oi 1 a year.

All oxrcllciii liuil been nnule liv Mr fY:ii"-i(> ilml ;i sef of flnmos should be obtained for lit.' I'osl Office deck tower, soon in lir> iiuhlc ]iiiv!u->r, u-; :i lnpmorial cif the Coronation. "We ore not' 1o fi'et lliose cliimcs ;is vel They are not included iu the list

of pcrmniii'iil memorials for which (he (iovernuicnt has decided to frrant subsidies ill connection with the Coronation. They will come lalei', it is to be hoped, since, space in to be left for them in the raised lower, and meanwhile it, has been proposed In commemorate the Coronation jji another form, for which a (government jiTanl will be forthcomiiijr. This in the erection of a band rotunda in the Park, The north end has a rotunda at the J lay, (lie central area ha.s one at Alexandra Square, arid why should not the south end listen to the music from a rotunda of its own ? There is un old sayiupc that: "Where there is music I here can be nothing bad," and municipal music; u tfreut deal of pleasure, whether or not it lightens the work of the police court. The sufTßestion of a Coronation rotunda in the Parle, was" made by Mr Craijrie, and it was adopted last evening by a meeting of tlie Itiijrby TJnion, actuated by the praiseworthy idea that footballers' should do something for the .permanent commemoration of the fjreat event in Timaru- The Mayor lias fjonorously promised a donation of £2O towards this object. He stated that a suitable rotunda could bo erected for about £3OO, half of which would be forthcoming as a Government grant.' The public will no doubt be willing to subscribe to such an excellent memorial, and a programme of football matches has been arrana'od for June 15th, the Thursday preceding Coronation Day, which it is hoped will bring in another £SO towards the object. It is desirable that the Coronation should be remembered pleasantly, and; this form of a memorial seems to us much more appropriate than the shelter for consumptives or provision for the hospital which were among the alternatives proposed. The footballers of South Canterbury are to bq commended for their loyal desire to mark an Imperial event of great significance, and we hope that their intention will be assisted by 'he public with an enthusiasm- equal to their own. .'.