ASHBURTON ELECTORATE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16360, 7 June 1927, Page 3

ASHBURTON ELECTORATE

PROPOSED ABOLITION CITIZENS PROTEST (Per Tress Association.) ASHBURTON, last night. A largely-attended public indignation meeting, convened by the Borough and County Councils, to-night discussed the question of the proposal to abolish tin' Ashburton electorate, and carried the following resolutions:— “That tliis meeting of electors voices an emphatic protest against the proposal to abolish the Ashburton electorate, on grounds that it iras been gu electorate for 44 years; that the district consists of the second largest county in New Zealand and the Ashburton Borough, the total population being over 18,000; that in natural resources and production it is unsurpassed' by ally other district; that if the proposal is adopted community of interest will be destroyed; that the facilities of communication cannot be surpassed, railways and a network of roads forming' perfect, communication, and leading to the natural centre, the town,of,Ashburton, and that the topographical features are ideal, rivers, mountains and ocean forming natural boundaries. “That this meeting of electors of the Ashburton electorate also protests against the proposal to abolish the name of Ashburton from the political map;'that the largest portion of Hie proposed new district of Ellesmere is in the Ashburton County, including the town of Ashburton, the total value of which is £6,8G7,000, compared with £4,641,934 in the remainder of the area; in consequence, it is considered by tliis meeting that in the event of the commission deciding that it is.unable to reconsider the proposed boundaries, the new Ellesmere electorate should be renamed Ashburton.

“That the. Borough Council and County .Council be recommended to take vigorous action’ against the proposal by lodging the necessary' objections, and .-appointing a strong deputation to -appear before a commission in support of the objections, also with a request that they reconsider the whole matter, with the object of the retention of the Ashburton electorate.”