MUCH MALIGNED ASHBURTON.

North Otago Times, 15 April 1907, Page 4

MUCH MALIGNED ASHBURTON.

liy Tolcgrapji. Ashbutton, April H. Forty-six business ineii and Jirms in Ashburtoii " havi»K had it brought to their notice that the borough is at prcsont being much throughout New Zealand, desire, in order to preserve the Rood name of the town, and for the accurate intornuvtion of tliose at a distance to stfto the following facts, which are within their knowledßO as beiiift true in evt-ry particular " : They " do not wisn to express anv iopinion upon the vexed question of license: or no-license, but upem it necessary that the exact truth about the condition of the town should be made public in an authoritative manner. Their desire in mafcinß the statement is to defend Ashburton against careless and reckless assertions calculated, if uncontradicted, to do harm to the proßress and prosperity of the town." , J (1) Tlvj Riowth of the town since iDO2 has been steady, and umnter,itod. This is shown by the valuations, which (in spite of a drop of £IOOO in the rateable value of licensed houses in i'JOii) have increased from £22,G13 in li>o2 to £2G,G79 in 1907, . . l2) The number of places occupied as business premises has largely increase-', and there is not a single shop remaining vacant in the business a \ e |)The annual reports of the local branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, winch opened up a retail department in 1902 show -that tho sales of mortmain disc have greatly increased, bemg £33,210 in 1903, compared with £52,867 in the year ending dlst May, 1906, an increase in volume of £lU,fis7 per annum. (■1) The displacement of business, as shown above, would lead the to expect a decrease elsewhere, particularly as so many new businesses have been opened since 1902. We have, I however, able to maintain, and in ! many cases largelt to increase _ our turnover, thus proving conclusively that the total volume of business done in Vne town lus largely increased during the last few years. _ (5) Asliburton is in short in as sound a position commercially to-day as at any period in ita history, and any statement which implies otherwise is recklessly contrary to lact. Wc havo every confidence in thu future of the town, and protest tho unfounded rumors which arc being so actively circulated.