Cathedral not an economic proposition

I know people who own property in the central city. At present it is working as a car park to earn its keep. The owners are waiting to see what happens around them, before they make a decision on their rebuild. They are business people working in a rational way to maximise their investment.

The Church Property Trustees are in the same situation. They must consider how many people would attend a service in a cathedral and how much would come into the collection every week to maintain it.

The rational way to do that would be to look at the statistics of the Transitional Cathedral. My observations suggest that these would fall well short of an economic proposition.

In my opinion, Christchurch does not deserve an Anglican cathedral.

Residents do not support the services, the glorious choir, the Bible readings or the expositions in sufficient numbers.

The large number of tourists who come to look at a cathedral made of cardboard contribute a derisory cash injection per capita.

Should this failing institution take a loan from the taxpayer?

How will it be repaid?

C Newman

Cashmere

Do more for Yemen

New Zealanders are sending $3 million to Yemen to support more than 20 million people facing famine described as the worst in 70 years. We are also sending $25 million to the Anglican church in Christchurch to assist its cathedral rebuild.

Is there a chance of an Easter miracle?

Perhaps the Christian church will redirect its government funds to its aid and development agency, the Christian World Service?

And then build within its insurance cover.

Yes, I know that this is not possible, as the $25m will be for the bricks and mortar, not for flesh and blood.

It doesn’t hurt to dream.

Marie Venning

Dallington