The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13th, 1923. MORE ANTIPATHY.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13th, 1923. MORE ANTIPATHY.

RKFKitF.NtK lias been made oil a previous occasion to the amount of antipathy displayed hy a few of Grevmouth’s leading people towards the aims and aspirations of Hokitika. The occasion of the late Ministerial visit to Greyniouth supplied a fmther opportunity for an expression of antipathy towards Hokitika. Mr 1). Tcmieur, one of the speakers for tha Grey mouth Chamber of Coimneree. went out of his wnv even to protest against Hokitika having an improved radway connection with Christchurch. lie has a learful iear that Hokitika may become the recognised terminus —as of course it is destin'd u> lie. But why lie should, his town already being so well served with railway communication, seek to deny reasonable train facilities to Hokitika is a very dog-in-the-manger attitude. It savours of very direct antipathy to Hokitika, and at least is not neighborlv. Just why Mr Tennent is not grateful to Hokitika we are at a loss to understand, seeing that when he sought

n helpmate in life lie. wisely selected a Hokitikiau. Therein be .showed his judgment, and out of gratitude for his good fortune he should for all time hold Hokitika in high esteem. The Christchurch Press on Saturday last took the members of the Grcymouth Chamber of Commerce to task for their pawky attitude in regard to outside connections. Grcymouth opinion, if correctly voiced by the Chamber, seeks to keep the advantages of the two outlets it now possesses—the port and the railway—entirely to its own advantage. Particularly does it not wish to see harbor interests jeopardised, and on that account wants all the traffic it can diverted by way of shipping. In regard to the railways, it wants all the conveniences, so that it will lie in outstanding contrast to the other centres, which will he difficult to reach for the lack of more prompt connections. It is all very paltry, and does riot display that neighborly consideration which might he expected from a centre having the advantages the northern town possesses. Apparently it is loath to make the most of those by its own initiative, and prefers while not moving to its own development to retard all it can the i ro_ gross e.t its neighboring towns. This is very shortsighted, for any advance at Hokitika "ill he reflected at Grcymeuth. which already is enjoying much rrHeeled glory fioiii this town. There is no occasion surely to sprag the effort of Canterbury to get goods cheaper mi to tlm Coast. The customers here will | al l ieipa to in the advantage which could he gained by that means, and rather than oppose out East Co si friends should be encouraged to assist in their business-like ellort. The greater the trade that can lie created. the greater "ill tie the progress achieved Canterbury is our next door neighbour, and our iioaiest and best customer. There is the population there along the railway line, which is the best means it all to develop inter-trading relations. And the more business wo can do with Canterbury the more East Coasters will come this way. not merely as ambassadors of commerce to collect what orders they can. but surplus population to settle amongst us, and assist lie Coast with that desirable aid to advancement inure population, llokitika should certainly do its last to cultivate trade with Canterbury as the natural and ready outlet for its business. There will l.e. as the I’ress says, mu iked commercial growth in South Westland. and Canterbury i- the ready at hand niatk’t for ike produce in stock arid dairy | roJuets tile district will he .sending out. We should like to see the Grcymouth attitude to our natural destiny modified to something mo:c friendly and helpful. Instead of antipathy, to assist with the right hand of good fellowship for the future of the two places is bound up in a common advancement, and eaeli may help the other in manv wavs as time goes oil.