POOR SUPPORT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23215, 31 May 1945, Page 6

POOR SUPPORT

“A Standing Disgrace” Complaint By Caroline Bay Association

“The .poor support that the people of Timaru give to the Caroline Bay Association is a standing disgrace,” declared Mr A. S. Jones at the annual meeting of the Association last night. “Out of a population of 18.0CJ, we can only get 45 helpers for our Bay Carnival, and four of these come from outside the town.”

Mr Jones said that during the war years tne nssoiiatioii had raised ac/61 tor patriotic puiposes. Tf wiuse wno had vauen leaning parts m the ±-atriouu tuna drives nan given us a

we wuuiu na*e raisen a good deal more. We are not given nearly tne support ulat we deser»e.”

Apart irom a tew secondary industries and tne country, the speaker said that tne main commercial asset to nmaru was the Bay. Last Cnristmas honaay period 1279 cars were cn tne r>ay and tms meant tnat 1279 shillings was nanaea to Timaru on a silver platter. He had asked many young men to come down and help them during the noiiciay period, uit he received the same old reply, “it is an awkward time. ’ It was an awkward time for the voluntary helpers wno gave up theirz holiday to help, out the same workers came year alter 'year. If people just Stropped to think what an asset the Bay was to the town, ne felt sure that more support would be given the Association.

Mr R. V. Kennedy said the peonle who get the most ou, of the Bay supported it the least. He maintained tnat the business portion of Timaru could help the Association much more than it did. “in 1939. the Timaru Borough Council had a five-year plan tor Bay improvement," continued Mr Kennedy. “Seeing that the war is going so good in the Pacific, I think that the time is opportune for this Association to reconsider this plan and approach the Borough Council to see what it is going to do in the matter.” ’.7a*' • Receding The speaker said tha* the distance .....cu. uxie baux—ig siievis ana me water, especially at low tide, was so great that they would either have to shift the sheds or run a tram line to the water. The question of tne building of a sports stadium at the south end of the Bay should also be considered; the lawns should also be extended seaward so as to provide room for band and marching displays. The Bay was now serving the function of the town’s civic square, and he did not know what Timaru would do without it, Mr E. C. Scales: The water is receding from the Bay at the rate of about 10ft a year. Some years ago we approached the Borough Council regarding the shifting of the bathing sheds, but it decided to wait until the water went out a bit further. We have been carrying the baby for the Borough Council for a good many years now. Mr M. Hawke: The southern entrance to the Bay is a disgrace. Something should be done there, and done soon. The president. Mr J. R. Elder, said the Borough Council had set aside about £4OOO for tar-sealing the southern approach to the Bay. He believed that they would eventually get there. A voice: Yes, in 1950.