Fifty years of wrangling and nothing has changed

The Methodist Mission in Queen St could lose this tree. Picture / Dean Purcell

Half a century ago Auckland City, its citizens and council officials were arguing over the state of Queen St.

In 1954 Auckland City Council got a good ribbing from the Herald's then-cartoonist Minhinnick over its "Beautification for Special Occasions" plans for the city's main thoroughfare and surrounding areas including Karangahape Rd, Symonds St and Customs St.

A special committee of councillors was set up which included business "men" and "horticultural societies" to cheer up what the council's parks and reserves committee chairman Mr W. Butler described as a "drab" city. Christmas decorations improved things for a short time each year, he said, but something more permanent was needed. "Surely we could have a mass of permanent floral decoration for several special occasions during the year."

Pot plants, hanging baskets of flowers and window boxes were suggested, with a more ambitious plan to plant sunken troughs of flowers in former tram lines once they were pulled up.

Director of parks and reserves Mr J. McPherson said Queen St was "slightly uninteresting" and floral displays several times a year would attract people into central Auckland.

But, as always, not everyone agreed. The Queen Street Business Men's Association said £3500 spent on floral decorations for Christmas 1954 had "made nothing but a proper mess".