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Press, 23 February 1978, Page 4

The New Brighton District Business Association existed long before the mall was thought of. “It began in the early 1930 s as a sort of progress league,” says Mr F. Grade. “The underlying object was to make the whole area more attractive, and so draw more people into the shopping area.” One of the longest serving presidents at this time

was Mr Em. Smith, who was also the Mayor of New Brighton in the period before amalgamation. The current association president, Mr De Vere, has a committee of 15 New Brighton businessmen. (As yet, in spite of encouragement, there have been no women on the committee). The Vice-pres-ident is Mr D. Gregg, and

Mr D. I. Williams has been secretary for 20 years. The hours of work that committee members have put into the mall project has been "incredible” says Mr De Vere, and the pace has quickened over the last year. The mall has always been very much a joint effort with the Christchurch City Council and there

have been a host of meetings with C.C.C. town planners, engineers, architects, and traffic officials with fellow shop-owners and firms involved in the construction. The committee is a strong one and has had good co-operation from shop-owners during the 12 years of mall development. Even the few

local pessimists have changed their minds. So in spite of the inevitable setbacks and disappointments the N.B.DJB.A. executive has steered the project through to a successful conclusion. “On opening day,” says Mr De Vere, “there will be a lot of people with good reason to teel proud.'