VISIT TO TIMARU.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 35, 18 March 1914, Page 8

VISIT TO TIMARU.

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL. AN ENJOYABLE TRIP. The second official municipal visit to Timaru by representatives of the civic authority of Christchurch was paid yesterday afternoon. Two years ago the Mayor and councillors of Timaru invited the city fathers of Christchurch to visit them, and the visit was returned last year. Testerday's excursion was a further event in what it is hoped 'will fee a regular series of visits.

There were about 300 people in the party, which left for Timaru at 8 a.m. The official party comprised:—The Mayor (Mr H. Holland), Crs H. J. Otley x W. Miller, J. M'Cullough, H. B. Sorensen, A. Williams, F. Burgoyne, H. Hunter, G. Scott, and W. H. Cooper, Mr H. R. Smith (Town Clerk), and Mr A. D. Dobson (City Surveyor). Cr Owles, Deputy-Mayor of New Brighton, represented that borough.

On arrival at Timaru, the party was met by the Mayor (Mr W. Angland), the Town Clerk (Mr D. Virtue), Mr J. Craigie, M.P., members of the council, Mr G. S. Gray (president of the Caroline Bay Association), and prominent residents. After a visit to the Municipal Chambers, the party was entertained at-a civic luncheon at the Grosvenor Hotel. Amongst the guests were Mr W. Black (Mayor of Waimate), Mr K. G. Turner (president of the Chamber of Commerce), Mr J. F. Rolleston (chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board), and other representatives of various local bodies.

Proposing the toast of "The Mayor and Councillors of Christchureh," Mr Angland extended a hearty welcome to the visitors. Since their previous visit Timaru had made considerable progress. Up-to-date municipal, buildings had been erected, and the underground drainage system had been extended, doing away with the septic tanks. Motor-buses had been obtained, and were a great convenience. The Caro< line Bay Association had erected and presented to the city * a magnificent pavilion, and revenue of £6OO had been received from it last year. Some £20,000 had been expended on the extension and improvement of the water supply, and a new fire brigade station had been commenced. He returned thanks for the welcome accorded •to Timaru's champion band as "it passed through Christchurch recently. He congratulated Mr Holland on his successfully carrying through the Lake Coleridge power scheme, and hoped that he would be, re-elected to supervise its completion.

Mr J. Craigie, M.P., said that oth .-r cities envied Christchurch its electrical supply, and hoped that it would be extended for the benefit of the whole province. It was clear that the time would come when the trains between Lyttelton and Oamaru, and perhaps even further south, would be run by electricity, and that the power would be used to ""drive all our commercial machinery. Christchurch would be one of the greatest manufacturing centres in Australasia. He had been promised by Minietfers that the power would be available in Timaru, soon after it was laid on to The speaker continued tha,t in addition to looking after the health and "Welfare of the people, councils had a further duty to look after their amusements. Bands, for instance, should not be dependent upon private doles. He emphasised the need for scientific town-planning, an <3 in this connection he congratulated Christchurch on the - foresight of its founders, who had set aside such; fine parks and reserves. He hoped that a Town Planning, Bill would soon be introduced, a'.id he was confident that it. would have the hearty support of both Timaru and Christchurch.

Returning thanks on behalf of the visitors for their welcome, Mr Holland said that they were really struck by the progress which had been made by Timaru. Indeed, Christchurch would have to look to her laurels. He was especially 'delighted with the improvements* at Caroline Bay* He thanked them for their reference to his work in connection with the Lake Coleridge scheme, but .they must know thjit he had had associated with him right through a thoroughly progressive council, which had striven to make the scheme the best in the Southern Hemisphere. He thought that Timaru would be wise to go slowly at first, and see if any defects in the service developed in Christchurch before they finally adopted it. He endorsed Mr Craigie's remarks with regard to town-planning. The time had gone when greedy landlords could be allowed to .cut up land as they liked. « The visitors were driven round the town in motor-cars, and after tea at the Municipal Chambers left again for Christchurch, which ' was reached at 9.15 p.m.