DEVELOPING CANTERBURY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9212, 5 February 1918, Page 4

DEVELOPING CANTERBURY

A CHRISTCHURCH PROPOSAL The initiation of a movement'haying for its object the advancement 01 Canterbury has been in contemplation bj" the Mayor of Christeliurch (Mr H. Holland) for some time past, but hitherto the pressure of work in conl.nection. with the war has made it difficult to arouse public interns t in the subject. Mr Holland has arrived at the conclusion that the present is an opportune time to start the preparatory work, and it is his intention to call a conference of representatives from all parts of Canterbury to go into the matter thoroughly. ■ It is notewothy that in the south — in Otago '-.and. Southland: —societies established for the purpose of bringing and keeping before the public thdTattractions and possibilities of those jdis* triets have continued in operation/iuring the war, and are, of courfee, fully organised and ready to launch vigorous campaigns for the purpose of attracting population and settlement as soon v as the war is over. A month or so prior to the.war some steps had been taken in Christchurch towards the formation of an organisation to promote the progress of Canterbury, but the .declaration of war and thd pressing calls made on everyone in connection with ' patriotic work prevented'the launching of the scheme. Mr Holland's intention is to convene towards the cud of the present month or early in March, "a meeting of representatives from all over Canterbury,-. with the, view of discussing" the establishment of an organisation for the - promotion of the best interests of the 1 "province as "a whole.