THE TRAMWAY SHELTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10416, 21 March 1912, Page 2

THE TRAMWAY SHELTER.

We hope that- tho Tramway Board and tho City Council will hasten slowly I in any alteration of tho tramway shelter. Tho shelter is not a magnificent piece of architecture, but it is not unsightly and it serves its purposo well. The city is not likely to permit the removal of the structure at any rate until a new spstem of running the trams is adopted. Mothers with children and old people cannot be asked to stand out in wintry weather waiting for trams, and even if tho Tramway Board desired to avoid the concentration of people in tho Square thero would still bo a need for a central resting-place or waiting-room. It will be admitted on all hands that a graceful and ornamental building would ho preferable to the present shed, hut it seems to us that if any change is made the city must face a very considerable expenditure. It ■would be necessary to build substantially and to take in the whole of the enclosure on which the Godley statue stands, and wo are convinced that it would be better to allow the question to stand over for a few years than to incur any large liability now. Tim growth of the city population will doubtless render some change imperative in the course of, say, five years, and by the end of that time the Hoard may be contemplating material alterations in tho running of tho cars. In tho meantime wo must simply endure the temporary eclipso of the Godley statue. One strong argument in favour of delay is tho existence of an agitation in favour of an amalgamation of the City Council and tho Train way Board. J Opinion is strengthening in support of tho movement to create a Christchnrch County Council or an analogous body to control tho public works and great public undertakings of the district, and it would surely bo unwise to incur unnecessary liabilities for public buildings until the amalgamation movement either succeeds or dies out.