CENTENARY OF CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25483, 1 May 1948, Page 6

CENTENARY OF CANTERBURY

LOCAL BODIES TO MEET CONFERENCE CALLED BY MAYOR The celebration of the centenary of Canterbury in 1950 will be discussed at a meeting of representatives of all local bodies in the province at a meeting in Christchurch on the afternoon of May 26. “The centenary' is that of the province of Canterbury and every district must take part in it, if it is to be celebrated to the full and fittingly,” said the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr E. H. Andrews) yesterday, when announcing the date of the first meeting. “Before calling a public meeting of all interested in Christchurch, which, as the Centre, will be the focal point, I have decided to seek the views of the whole province as to the form the centennial celebrations should take.” As many local bodies met only once a month, the date for the meeting had been fixed far ahead so that representation could be selected, said Mr Andrews. Notices to all bodies were being issued without delay. The conference would consider the general provincial, scheme of celebration. Each district would be asked to indicate the manner in which it wished the centenary to be honoured. As with all other towns and districts, Christchurch’s plans would have to fit in the general scheme to some extent.

I don’t want anybody to think that we are going to make it only a Christchurch celebration,” said Mr Andrews. “The whole of the province must celebrate the passing of the first 100 years, but the big events must', naturally" take place in Christchurch, as they took place in Dunedin in this year of Otago’s centenary. Every part of the province will desire its own special celebration and I hope that the calling of the conference will ultimately result in the happiest and fullest celebration m their own localities by a]] the people ”