TRAMCAR ADVERTISING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11762, 28 July 1916, Page 4

TRAMCAR ADVERTISING.

10 THE EDITOR. Sir, —It seems that Christchurch is to bo t.ho birthplace of a movement which will eventually make the whole of the commercial world quake. Last Saturday evening Mr S Hurst Seager, in a lecture on town planning, suggested that he and his audience should form themselves into a sort of puritanical defiance band, and refuse to do business with firms who use tramcar advertising. Now it is easy to eee that we are on the eve of big things. Who knows but that this meeting dominated by Mr Seager may not be the nucleus of a movement that will revolutionise the whole of the commercial world? The big strike of three years ago had no more auspicitrus beginning. The fact that the biggost businesses of every country adopt all forms of advertising—Harrods, the big London providers, have their advertisement on every tram, train and 'bus in the world's biggest city—should not deter Mr Seager from pursuing his reforms. After improving the interior and exteno- appearanco of our cars, no doubt the design, of the cars themselves will bo -efmed. (Trailen, of course, excepted.) How much nicer it will be to see cars of " Qupen Anne" type mingling with Ancient Roman styles? But this artistic movement must not stop at *hat incomplete stage. The uniforms of the motormen and conductors should be designed to harmonise with Their cars Care might also be exercised in selecting men with physiognomies to assimilate with the uniforms Since the object of this movein ent will not be to beautify houses, but rather to reform the accepted'and honourable mediums of advertising, newspapers will be the next to be dealt with, and no doubt in time we shall have' advertisomentlcss newspapers. Oh! What a relief I Of course, the fact that prices will go' up is a detail • so long as Cur aisthetic taste is being satisfied, nobody will mind payin" sixpence or a shilling for a paper. See also liow in war time it will save that scarce commodity—paper. Good luck to the movement that Mr Seager attempted to start. The job the Irish revolutionists had before them was child's plav compared to what might b 0 done in these aithctical reforms. Why with patience and perseverance, it mi'crht be possible to alter the whole character of the British race. To alter it from a piosperous nation, with ift industries, its progressive stores, "its charity supported hospitals, etc into an art-loving, lotus-eating community, who could pass their time in admiring the beauties of barren walls, empty trams and fcrauers and .-esthetic newspapers—a community which would sternly refuse to do business with any firm who advertises, because " it's not nice." —I am, etc., FRANCISCO DE RIMINI.