The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 1879.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3358, 13 January 1879, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 1879.

The sub-committee appointed by the City Council for the purpose of considering the question of the erection of municipal buildings will, it is understood, submit to-night a report recommending that the site for the contemplated structure be that piece of land upon which the present municipal offices j and Magistrate's Court now stand. This property is already the property of the City, but there is a considerable space north of it planted with trees still in the possession of the Government, but we should think there will be no difficulty in obtaining a grant of this additional land for such a purpose as that which the Council have in view. The committee, in their proposals, in^ 1 elude the erection of a Magistrate's Court in connection with the Municipal Offices, and a Town Hall is also to form a portion of the design. "We are of opinion that out of the very small choice at their command the Committeehjixfi. selected the wisest course./^"~Tne site in question, even with the additional land from the Government, is not very large, and it is not by any means the most convenient which could be chosen ; neither is it a site which will admit of a good view of the architecture of the proposed building being obtained from any position, but such advantages are not within the compass of the Council unless land having a frontage to the square is purchased. We certainly are of opinion that a public building of the character and importance of that contemplated should be in the square, but we do not think the citizens would be ready to sanction the additional expense that would be entailed, and the Committee have evidently arrived at the same conclusion. The question of cost is one which must form an important element in the whole scheme, and to lay out a large sum in the purchase of land when the Council have at their disposal the site of the present municipal offices, would, we are satisfied ensure the rejection of the whole of their proposals. Apart from the question of site, we are glad that the Committee have taken a comprehensive view of the city's requirements and that the necessity for a Magistrate's Court has not escaped their^! attention. Inconvenient, tumble- down, and altogether derogatory as the present Municipal offices undoubtedly are, they are comparatively comfortable to the wretched, cribbed, cabin'd, and confined smoky crib in which the business of the Magistrate's Court is conducted. In a room about 18 feet by 30, with low walls and lighted from the roof, are usually crowded the Magistrates and theii clerk, four or five legal gentlemen, the reporters for the Press, Inspector Hick son and a posse of police, prisoners prosecutors, witnesses, and an extremely variegated collection of bright samples from the lower orders of our society. A dusty, fusty, crowded hole, filled with odours essentially human, and not reminding the visitor of those of Arabia. It is not surprising that the great unpaid never visit the place except when it is almost a matter of necessity, and no one ever lingers in the atmosphere of the Court a moment longer than business compels. It certainly speaks volumes for the patience of ow people, that such a disgrace to tie City should have been tolerated so long. We hold that the Government should contribute the cost of that portion of the proposed building which will bo dedicated to the business of the Magistrate's Court, and they should have been asked to do so long ago. As the present Mayor has not shown himself violently opposed to the Government, or manifested an offensively hostile disposition, no doubt any representations he may make upon the subject will receive attentive consideration. Considering how far advanced the season of the year most Buitable for building is, we trust that no unnecessax-y delay will now be suffered to occur, and that the Council will push the work forward with all the energy of j which they may be possessed.

We are sorry we cannot compliment the City Council in regard to its treatment of the question of street crossings. It may be a very email matter, but the Council have dealt with it in a manner equally small. We refer particularly to the crossing required over the South Belt at the railway-station. A crossing at this place is urgently required, and would be a benefit to the public of Christchurch, and a great convenience to the customers of the trading portion who come to the city by rail, yet the Council refuse to undertake it. An attempt has, we believej been made to get the work done at the expense, or some portion at the expense, of the Government, but the Government have no power to expend any portion of the money of the country in constructing works upon streets under the management and control o£ the City Council. It would be just about as proper for them to do so as for the Council to expend the city rates upon the railway station. We wonder it did not occur to the Council to ask the Government to contribute towards the construction of the whole of the footpaths in Manchester street, for they might just as reasonably have done so as to ask them to expend money on a crossing in the South Belt. Were the Government to accede to an