"TORPEDOED!"

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18547, 24 November 1925, Page 12

"TORPEDOED!"

ASHBURTON AT EXHIBITION. "The Ashburton Exhibition Committee has been bluffed and treated in a. rery sboddfy and unbusinesslike manner by the Canterbury Provincial Committee,"- said Cr. F. "VV. Seldon at last night's meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council, after he had referred to the adverse newspaper criticism ot Ashburton's representation at theDunedin Exhibition. Cr. Seldon said that, as one of the local committee, and seeing that the Council was making a. contribution, he would like to make an explanation. At several of the committee meetings when Canterbury representatives were present, local members stressed the point that Ashburton should not lose its identity and should have a separate bay in the Canterbury Court. That wiW agreed to and the committee commenced on the -work. Latterly Canterbury tried to bring pressure to bear to forae Ashburton to join the Provincial Court. A deadlock resulted and the Ashburton committee reluctantly agreed to sink the county's individuality, which meant loss of dignity and the tendering of ft cash contribution and exhibits on the understanding that the latter would be properly assembled in the Canterbury Court; but these arrangements had not been carried out, and he considered an explanation was due to the Ashburton people. The exhibits, which included Mount feomers stone, silica sand, and timber already at the Exhibition .should have been properly displayed in the court.

Cr. "VV. H. "Woods supported the last ■speaker, spying that obstacles had been placed Tn their way until it was too late to do justice to Ashburton. Cr. W. (i. Hillier said he thought it was not yet too late to put the display right. If someone was 6ent down to put. things in order, the Ashburton display could be made creditable.

Cr. J. W. Bowden suggested that thev should refuse to nay the contribution promised to the Canterbury Court. The County Council had given £4OO.

Or. Seldon: We heard a lot, some time a{r->, about Canterbury being torpedoed by Otago, but it seems that we liave been torpedoed and sunk, too! On the motion of Crs. Howden 'and Hillier, it was decided to send a letter of protest to the Canterbury Provincial Committee against the treatment Ashburton had received in the exhibit. The committee is to be reauested to take immediate steps to display the Ash burton exhibit in the Cantef'bnrv Court.