Seaside Progress.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19238, 27 November 1930, Page 8

Seaside Progress.

To the Editor. Dear Sir, —The observations of your correspondent “Seaside Progress,” whilst being true enough, are not altogether fair to the two places concerned. To the ordinary observer, I will admit that that is how things appear, but in order to effect a remedy, a diagnosis of the trouble is necessary. Fancy a Health Officer merely criticising, instead of examining. We would know that a remedy could not be effected in that way, and a closer examination is required into the present condition of the two seaside suburbs. A bookful of criticism could be written, but that would not get the job done. Let us put it another way. Why does not the City of Christchurch get on with its various improvement jobs? Why doesn’t it get a Town Hall, new Post Office, new railway station, a separate electric power supply, an up-to-date harbour scheme, and so on? Any amount of firms and individuals have been lost to the city on account of various failings, but what’s the use of merely finding fault. Timaru is taken as a model, but the size of the three cannot be compared. The one has revenue, population, and a beach apart from the town, whereas here the beaches adjoin the residential area, and residents have some rights, and must be considered by the local authority. Then again, the common idea of a crowd- , ed beach is not acceptable to everybody. It is one thing to have crowds of visitors requiring bathing facilities, and quite another matter to find the money to provide same. Care and maintenance is a yearly matter, whereas the use of. such is for a few months only, and it is principally the financial part, which prevents small boroughs from doing what Timaru can do. This brings out the point that the city is lacking again in not moving, to do what Timaru has done. You see the seaside regular population has to be content with what is possible, and if more, is wanted, then the city must get on the job, but that is impossible, because the city has no legal rights, whereas Timaru is the city. . The only way out of the difficulty in the opinion of those who are giving it any consideration, is to join the city, and make it a general responsibility. . As far as enterprise is concerned, that is not altogether lacking, as is proved by the local efforts at both places, but a purely local effort can only be on a smaii scale, and is subject to a greater proportion of risk than larger efforts would be. The psychologv of Christchurch and Us surroundings is another matter. My opinion is that we are too pure-bred and a greater mixture of nationalities would do no harm. Conferences are in the air 5 V garding the development of the Estuary, beach patrols, etc., and perhaps that is the commencement of what will solve a lot of present problems. I think that the Canterbury P™gress League should interest itself Is not that one of its objects? If not. why not? Each borough contributes, so why not get . ome assistance in return?-! am^etc^^ Sumner.