Timaru’s Many Assets

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21529, 16 December 1939, Page 32 (Supplement)

Timaru’s Many Assets

HOW CAROLINE BAY WAS FORMED Foresight of Pioneers QO.XSI 111 I LI) a Borough in 1368, Timaru. the capital of South Can- 1 terbury has been rightly designated the centre of the Island. Timaru possesses a particularly fine artificial 1 harbour, which is the regular port of call ol the largest steamers and is the i shipping and distributing centre of : the large tract of highly productive i land lying between the Rangitata and ' \\ aitaki Rivers, the (iounlies of Ger-I aldine. Levels. \\ annate and Mackenzie being known everywhere as i portions of the Dominion to which' Nature has shown almost prodigal j favours. Although much has already been I done to induce production—the farm- . ing in general has been of a high-class —it i.s acknowledged that the apex has! not been reached and that by the adop- > tion of the more modern methods of i cultivation, a great deal more Is pos- j sible. and now. with the added inceii-' five of the war and the world's require-! ments, confidence is expressed that the' call for greater production will be ; answered in South Canterbury in a manner which will convincingly prove I the still greater productive capacity of its farm land. The industries of the province are nf. first-class importance, and in addition! to the riches derived from the fields . and pastures, the stock, grain, wool, | butter and other farm produce, in- ' elude freezing works in close proximity, I flour mills, daily factories, biscuit factory. boot factory, box factory, brickworks, saw-mills, and numerous other | industrial concerns all of which add | materially to the stability of the centre.! That the borough offers every facility i for the increase of industries requires , no demonstration; the fact of Timaru! being in the centre of the island, on th-? seashore, with abundant available land. 1 and with magnificent road facilities, spreading in every direction, provides i opportunities such as are to be found in few parts of the Dominion. Overseas industrialists who have visited : Timaru have expressed themselves i impressed by the opportunities for in- , dustrial enterprise, and hopes are en-' tertained that the coming years will I not only see a marked increase in population, but that a wide variety of industries will spring up on all sides, j converting Timaru into a southern I Manchester or other industrial town of the old world. Borough Assets The public and commercial build-1 ings, churches and private houses re- ' fleet honour on all concerned. The Borough possesses an excellent water and drainage system, which however. | was not secured until a persistent, Mayor and Council successfully over- ■ came a solid wall of opposition erected 1 to thwart a forward movement, the! carrying out of which is to-day universally acknowledged to have proved the I greatest asset of the Borough. To-day I it Is disturbing to reflect what might | have been the consequence had the i forward step not proved successful. J To-day there is unanimity that this' was the most valuable service which J the succession of Councils conferred ■ on Timaru. A short time ago th? rate- ! payers decided that a new water service should be obtained, with the result that the Cannington Gorge scheme '• which i.s now nearing completion. It is generally acknowledged that the Borough’s water supply has been ex- ; cellent; there have been a few com- ; plaints, but when investigated they I have been found to have been flimsly j founded. However, it cannot be denied ■ that the conveyance of water over miles in open races is not entirely hygienic and that the new system must neces- ; sarily possess many advantages over ' the old. Parks and Grounds Tn the matter of parks and recreation grounds, Timaru Is well provided ; for, and it says much for the pre- I science of those responsible for laying i the foundations of Timaru that they ! were able to visualise the future with such accuracy, and make ample pro- | vision for the years ahead. This can be said of the Pilgrim Fathers who laid the foundations of the various provinces -that they gauged the future with accuracy, and almost at the mo- , ment of setting their feet on these ; shores, set themselves the task of plan- | ning for the future, a work which they i performed with judgment and fore- | sight. It would be invidious to single out any particular province, for they were all fortunate; we have but to look '• around to see what had been done by the pioneers. Tn this respect South ; Canterbury and Timaru were favourably placed. One of the cynosures of South Canterbury Is the Gardens and , Park at Timaru. 50 acres of undulating ; ground laid out in beautiful lawns, shrubs and flower beds, a native garden and ornamental pond, also a public ; drive round and through the gardens . which contain a war Memorial com- , memorating the service of the men who went to the front in the Great : War. a tea kiosk, hot houses, tennis i courts, bowling green, cricket pitch and ; hockey grounds, also a children’s play- : ground, with provision for picnics. Caroline Bay Ohe of Timaru’s proudest possessions j is Caroline Bay. the result of what ' might not inappropriatelj’ be called an ! accident. When it was decided that ! the Eastern Extension should be built I there were many speculations as to ; what would be the result as regards j the harbour. It was hoped that «t ! would serve to provide additional shel- 1 ter, thereby rendering the port addi- I tionally safe. That this expectation ; was realised is not disputed since it 1 entirely accomplished the object of th? far-seeing men who thus planned long . years ago. But it did more; it per- ' formed the miracle of converting a 1 rock-bound beach, with the waves | flowing up to the foot of the bank, into! the Dominion’s premier bay. the inap- | proachable Caroline Bay. admittedly J the finest and safest beach on the 1 coast of New Zealand. The killing cf j two birds with one shot Is regarded as

a commendable feat; here, without any killing being done, something more substantial was accomplished. On the Bay will be found every facility necessary for the fullest and most pleasurable enjoyment of a holiday; there Is abundant shelter; bathing can be undertaken throughout the year without the question of danger being considered. The bather, juvenile er adult, can choose his or her own depth to an inch; the shelving out Is so gradual that “danger” does not come into the question. Tennis courts are provided, hot water baths, a public hall, commodious dressing sheets for bathers, play ground apparatus ar.l