City links rekindled

Press, 14 February 1986, Page 5

City links rekindled

The Mayor of Christchurch, Sir Hamish Hay, 'could have been forgiven yesterday for thinking he was seeing double. Flanked by the Town Clerks of Christchurch, he posed for a photograph in front of Christchurch’s flag. The flag was that of the Borough of Christchurch in Dorset, England. Mr Dewsnap, the Chief Executive and Town Clerk of the Dorset borough, is in Christchurch on a private holiday and spent yesterday afternoon at the Civic Offices. The two cities share a sister-city relationship,

which Mr Dewsnap believes is immensely important in terms of international friendships, culture, and economics. He was last in Christchurch, New Zealand, seven years ago. What changes has he noticed. “The main feature I noticed was that it has not changed. There is the pedestrian way in Cathedral Square but that is all.” Mr Dewsnap said he had three reasons for the visit. The first was a love of travel. The second, "I adore Christchurch.” The third, his twenty-fifth

wedding anniversary. “It seemed the ideal present to ourselves,” he said. The sister-city links were a symbol of the feeling between the peoples of the two Christchurchs, he said. Each Christchurch shared similar friendships with other cities. “Twinning is a wonderful way of cementing relationships and it is fun. I have visited Christchurch twice in the eight years I have been Town Clerk and I have visited other cities. It has been absolute fun,” Mr Dewsnap said.