THE GLOBE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1791, 17 November 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1879.

The Diocesan Synod of the Church of England is about to commence its annual session, and, therefore, it seems the proper time to urge upon this body the necessity of making an effort to complete the Cathedral. The supineness and neglect exhibited in connection with this work has made the name of the churchmen of Canterbury anything but respected throughout the colony. For years the unfinished building has been an eyesore to the city, as well as a standing reproach to one of the richest churches in Australasia. The excuse has been hitherto want of funds, and perhaps there has been something in this, though it seems very probable that with the large landed estate possessed by the Church money could easily have been raised. However this may be, there is no longer any excuse of this kind. Money has been raised in the London market, and the building can now be proceeded with. Therefore, we trust that during the session of the Synod, to be opened tomorrow, steps will be taken not only to resume active operations in building the Cathedral, but also to secure that no further delay shall intervene until the edifice is, if not completed, at least put into such a state that part of it may be used for Divine worship.

The City Council have just carried out a very novel idea in the way of spending the money of the ratepayers. Only a fewmeetings back the Chairman of the Finance Committee laid before the Council a most alarming statement of the position of affairs financially. After every available asset had been accounted for the city was still some £SOOO to the bad. "Well, one would have thought that a rigid system of economy would at once have been instituted, and efforts made to bring the municipal expenditure within as narrow a limit as was consistent with efficiency. "We find that many necessary works stood over on the plea of shortness of funds, and yet there has been a deliberate and utterly uncalled for expenditure of the ratepayers' money simply to gratify a whim of councillors. It will be recollected that some few months back Sir George Grey in his capacity of Premier presented to the city a certain clock and tower, which had been sent out in days gone by. The latter was in pieces, and had remained for many years untouched. The Council, on becoming possessed of this evidence of the late Premier's affection and regard for his latest and now, alas, lost political love—the city of Christchurch —determined to see how the tower looked. It has therefore been erected —at the expense of the ratepayers—in the yard of the City Council. Now we are unable to see what reason or necessity existed for this being done. The Council have not yet —nor do they appear likely to be —agreed upon where this magnificent gift is to be placed. The site selected by the late Council has beon put on one side, and it is more than probable that the clock will occupy its old position for some time to come. Thirty or forty pounds has beon expended in erocting a tower, which will have to be pulled down, and the same cost incurred for re-erection, when it is decided what part of the city it shall occupy. Thus, though the sum is only comparatively a small one, a wasteful and unnecessary expense has beon incurred without any apparent result. The information as to whether the parts were all perfect might surely have been obtained by a loss elaborate process than that of building the affair up in order to knock it down immediately afterwards. General ideas em to the pictorial effect of the tower might'also have been gained through the medium of tho pictorial art and the brilliant imaginative faculty which so

often cornea to the aid of our City Fathers. But to erect the tower at an expense of thirty or forty pounds for the mere pleasure of gazing at it seems to us a somewhat expensive luxury.