THE CANAL SCHEME.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15581, 3 April 1911, Page 8

THE CANAL SCHEME.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In your issue a few flays ago you report that Dr Thacker, who is a candidate for the mayoralty of Christchurch, spoke strongly in favour <xf the canal. So this old bunch of carrots is again being produced. It was used, dining the last parliamentary ©lection, and since then it has almost disappear* ed from view. Dr Thacker waa elected to the Harbour Board mainly to back up the canal movement. What has ha done there? Absolutely nothing. Of course, he and the others who are advocating the canal on the Harbour Board will back their inaction up by stating that a majcfrity of the members I of the present Board are opposed to the canal. The other day Mr Joshua Littlo asked the Board. to consider a scheme of his for a small canal. The Board was unanimous in referring this question to its engineer. Why has neither Dr Thacker nor any of I the other canal members asked the ! Board to refer the question of the wisI dom or otherwise of constructyig a I canal -to Christchurch to some mdpI pendent body for inquiry? If it were in earnest- in advocating the canal it would have done this long ago. Instead of that, it has absolutely done nothing, and now when an election comes round it trots out a canal. Let me tell Dr Thacker that the citizens of Christchurch, as a body, agree with the attitude which the Trades am Labour Council and Socialists hare taken up over this question, namely, lot those who want a canal and wul benefit by it, pay for it. We in Christchurch want a municipal milk supply, we want municipal gas, and we want a number of other important things for the promotion of the good of the city. As a citizen I protest against the trick of drawing the canal like a red herring across the track of municipal progress. —I am, etc., SOUTH BELT.