The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 1904. SIGNBOARDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8030, 7 June 1904, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 1904. SIGNBOARDS.

y Better late than never, the City Council i has taken into consideration the nuisance 1 1 arising out of the abuse of signboards in the oity. At its meeting last night it received a report from its By-laws Committee tot, tihe effect that "-as there was a considerable number of signboards in existence in . the city, contrary to the by-laws, the com- ; mittee had issued instructions that they were not to be permitted, and that the by- ■ laws relating to signboard's were to be en- j forced." For tihe benefit of that large sec- • tion of the nublic to which the city by-laws are an unlearned lesson to may quote the section referred to. They .provide — (1) That "no signboard shall be erected' so as to project over or on aoiy footpath or roadway, \ or, being erected 1 , shall be altered without I permission in writing first obtained' from, the ! Council in that 'behalf " ; (2) that "no person j shall place, or permit to be placed., any ; placaa^d, sign, advertisement, oxl announce-' i menb on calico, paper, canvas, or other ana--1 terial, upon or against any. verandah, or verandah -post, or any part bhei-eo-f, or upon or against aay&ing attached' to any verandah or verandah post, or any part thereof" ; (3) that "no sign, signboard, lamp, clock, frame, or support for a sign ox signboard, fiamp, or clock, and no erection of any kind, I over op upon, or under any verandah, footway, roadway or street, or any part thereof, • ■. or upon any building, without such permisj sion, dr in accordance with any such, pennis- : eion, be maintained " ; and (4) that " subject , to such permission 'being first obtained, i signboard^smay be erected so as to project ! : over or across the footpatihs, provided that they are kept close to the roof of any verandah and do not follow the contour thereof, and also that no part of such. . signboard • shall be less than nine feet six inches above the level of the footpath and kerb." "We | i have quoted the foregoing section in full, j partly, as we have said, tovremove any ignorance that may exist regarding their proj visions, and partly in ordsx . to afford the public an opportunity. of judging for them.- ; selves tie extent to which, the laws are ! being disobeyed. Probably if the <by-la<ws were interpreted literally three-fourths of the sjgboards in -tlie city would have to i come down, and a portion of the remaining ■ quarter would have to undtergo soaie inodifi- i cation. But, jucftring from tie utterances let \f all by the Mayor and cer.ta-in Councillors last night, it is the intention of the Council to give a liberal interpretation tothe law. True, the ooniinittee's recommendation wns agreed to, but a, strqng disposition was shown in favour of a. discretionary enforcement of the by-laws. Doubtless the Council is wise im determining to allow some latitude to offenders, nine out of ten ''of whom are sinning in ignorance. But we hope it . will not carry its lemency (furthes j than to give ample warning of its intention, to enforce th% by-laws. Then it ought to enforce them strictly.