ASHBURTON AND TIMARU.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7821, 14 June 1909, Page 1

ASHBURTON AND TIMARU.

Concerning the proposal wade by Mr C. Reid, ,an ex-Mayor of Ashburton, that AshbUrton should throw in its lot wjth.the Tiniaru harbour district, a Herald reporter made some enquiries in, Ashbur.ton on Friday. The Mayor •of Ashburton was firstl asked his opinion and he expressed his cordial approval of it, but said he did not think Aehburton would agree to it, if it meant that they would have a harbour rate. to,, pay, as at present they had. r^pfe£ sentation on the Lytteltoh Harbour. Board and had no. harbour rate to pay. So long as they could get thatlie did not. think they .would join Tim'f aru;'though he recognised that to linkup Timaru and Ashburton would be a; grand., thing', for both places. Some day there .might be a canal rate to pay, arid.'if. that day did come, then he thought Ashburton would make Timaru its'port: Mr Reid who is an exMayor of Ashburton. was also spoken to on the subject. He said that farmers in the Ashburton county were not likely to join the Timaru harbour district if ; joining meant paying a ;harberurifHter but he considered that it would '■ pay the Timaru 1 Board to give them representation • on -the governing body without imposing any rate as this would draw a lot more trade from Ashburton to Timaru (trade that now goes to Lyttelton)'a'nd the Ashburton county people would; have a sufficiently high rate to pay in the form of railage from Ashburton to Timaru. Ho failed to see why the. Timaru Board should not give them representation without rates, seeing that the Lyttelton Board gave it to them. There" Avas a good deal of sentiment in favour of Timaru, besides .which.. Ashburton was closer to Timaru than to Lyttelton and hejhop■ed the Timaru Board, would see its way to offer some inducement to bring about a' closer union with Ashburton.