WORK MAY SOON BE PUT IN HAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18208, 15 July 1927, Page 9

WORK MAY SOON BE PUT IN HAND.

IMPROVEMENT SCHEME FOR CATHEDRAL SQUARE Proposals for improving the central portion of Cathedral Square and replacing the existing tramway shelter and offices by a more imposing structure will be considered by the City Council at its meeting on Monday night. It is expected that an early decision is likely to be reached. The matter has been under consideration by different councils for many years and last year a definite scheme was approved, the estimated cost being £9045. Of this amount it was recommended that the City Council should contribute £2OOO, that £3380 should be raised under the Health Act for sanitary purposes, that the Tramway Board should find £IOOO and the War Memorial Column Committee the balance of £3265. The scheme provided for the removal of the present tramway shelter and for the erection of new buildings for the shelter, the tramway inspectors' room, the wonpen’s rest room and the parcels office. The war memorial was to be placed in the centre of the open space which was to be surrounded by a colonnade with seats under it. According to a statement made recently by Mr George Gould, chairman of the War Memorial Committee, this scheme was not likely to prove acceptable to the committee, but it has not been announced whether a decision haa been reached to that effect. In view of the attitude taken up by the chairman it is considered likely, however, that the scheme to be submitted to Monday night’s meeting of the City Council will not be the same as was submitted last year. Several of the present members of |he council are desirous of getting the improvements carried out with the least possible delay and it is probable that provision for the work will be made in the current year’s estimates. It is understood that a bequest made by the late Mr 11. L. Bowker, for civic purposes, will be available for such work.