District Offers Many Facilities

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28765, 10 December 1958, Page 21

District Offers Many Facilities

A thriving and progressive North Canterbury town, Rangiora seeks further industry to give it a more balanced economy. Although essentially a prosperous market town serving a wide and wealthy area. Rangiora has, already, several flourishing Industries, and there are others nearby. There are insufficient, however, to provide work close to their homes for all the residents of the district, and with an increasing population this aspect will be increasingly apparent unless new industries are attracted to the nelghbour- ■ hood of the town. Situated only 18J miles from Christchurch, on the main north railway line, adjacent to which land is still available at reasonable prices. Rangibra has all the municipal facilities of the major cities, including gas works, and some additional advantages. Population Figures The largest town between Christchurch and Blenheim, 216 miles to the north, Rangiora has a population within the borough of 3200, and the surrounding North Canterbury districts swell this figure to something like 7000, many of whom would be potential workers within the area if new industries were established.

Estimates prepared by the Town and Country Planning branch of the Ministry of Works indicate that the population of the surrounding Rangiora county will increase by more than a third in the next 20 years. Without the opportunity of full employment close to their place of birth, many of this increased population would have to travel daily to Christchurch or transfer there or to other centres to gain suitable work.

Surveys taken at various times show that already some 300 persons leave Rangiora daily to work in Kaiapoi or Christchurch. Most of these would in all probability prefer to shorten their working day and save travelling expenses by working closer to home. The Rangiora Businessmen’s Association has set about pursuing a vigorous policy of attracting industry to the town, with its ready source of labour, a wealth of primary products from the surrounding rural area, and natural resources suitable for processing. Evidence of the people’s preference to work in their home town was given last year when the town’s second clothing factory was opened and had its labour requirements met within 40 minutes. Endorsement Earlier this year the policy of the association received an indirect endorsement from the Associated Chambers of Commerce, which at its annual conference passed a remit advocating the decentralisation of industry. Some of the advantages mentioned then were the relief of congestion in the larger' cities; more economic use of natural resources; cheaper land for industry; employment in home areas; a reduction in the bottlenecks in distribution; and an easing of the social and moral problems associated with

the undue concentration of population. The feels that additional industry would give a more economic utilisation of essential facilities provided by the council by giving a greater concentration of housing on electrical, sewerage, and high pressure water lines, as well as providing additional revenue from rating for developmental purposes. It has been stated that there is sufficient land within the borough to accommodate a further 500 to 600 houses. Diversity of Industry An increasingly popular commercial centre for a wide sector of North Canterbury, Rangiora already has a diversity of industry and there is a wide range of cultural and sporting organisations in the town, which is also the headquarters for some sporting sub-associations. It is only natural when the town is so closely associated with a dairying and mixed farming district that some of the industries are connected with processing primary products. Included in these are two flour mills, with another but a few miles away, four grain and seed stores, lumber mills, which draw their supplies from nearby plantations, and agricultural machinery manufacturers. Not far from the borough is a large area where native flax is extensively cultivated to supply the large twine factory at Waikuku. where a staff of 40 men is employed producing most of New Zealand's requirements of baler twine. Within two miles of the town is a factory producing candy peel and similar products of a brand familiar to most housewives in New Zealand. On the outskirts of the town is a factory producing refrigerators. A few miles to the north, across the Ashley river, on the Loburn downlands, is the Ashley State Forest, where timber is already being cut on a small scale, but milling is expected to begin in earnest in the next three years Not many miles away, on the banks of the Waimakariri river, is the Eyrewell State Forest Natural Resources High-grade clay .is available handy to the town, says a survey made by the association, and before the 1930 depression this was processed by a flourishing brick kiln. At Whiterock,. agricultural lime is produced in quantity, and sand and shingle, are available in inexhaustible quantities from the Ashley river only one mile away. Loburn is also a large fruit-growing district which is reputed to have . the largest apple orchard in New Zealand. Handily situated to the popular seaside resorts, Rangiora people are able to visit these without contending with the traffic Congestion that frequently confronts Christchurch residents. Most people In the town find they are sufficiently handy to Christchurch should the need arise for them to travel there. Good foundations are available bn clay or gravel in most of Rangiora and the surrounding country, and the fall of the land provides an excellent natural drainage with a drop of 50ft in the levels from the north-west to the south-east boundaries. The town is 95ft above sea-level. Weather

Although the town has slightly heavier frosts than Christchurch, the climate is excellent, and its average rainfall of 26in is a little less than the Christchurch figure. But in the view of most Rangiora residents the greatest advaptage is the absence of the haze which so often shrouds Christchurch, and this is one of the strong claims the Rangiora Airfield Committee (Incorporated) can be expected to put forward for the future development of the new airfield at Fernside as an alternative landing field for Christchurch. Service Facilities The town has an excellent high pressure water supply, and most of the borough is serviced by underground sewer. At the present time the gas works could cater for small industrial users, but a major user would necessitate extensions to the retort and holder capacity, changes which until the demand is established are not warranted. The borough'council would welcome further industrial users of gas, however, as they would establish an all-the-year-round demand, which the present load does not give, and for this reason the council is prepared to consider special rates for industries using large quantities of gas. The town is well catered for with sealed roads, and arterial roads radiate from it Direct bus and rail services operate to Christchurch, and a branch railway line operates to Oxford. One of the largest transport operators Tin the South Island has its