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It is a pleasure to acknowledge my debt to all who have helped me and to thank them. I am grateful to the Ashburton County Council and the Ashburton Borough Council for inviting me to write this history. Arrangements have been in the hands of Messrs J. H. Burns and I. S. Watson, county and town clerks, and they have given assistance beyond what I expected notably by providing for the transport to Christchurch of files of the Ashburton Guardian from 1882 to 1953 and for the typing of my script. The staffs of both borough and county council offices have provided my wife and me with excellent facilities and assistance when we found it necessary to work in Ashburton. I wish to thank especially Mrs D. Elliott and Messrs D. G. Thomson, J. S. Houston, John Collins, A. G. Johnson, and C. Gunning. Mr George Glassey kindly supplied books and information. I am indebted to the District Commissioner of Crown Lands for permission to consult files and maps and to reproduce maps and to Messrs R. C. Bastian and J. A. Hayward of the department for their ready help. Similarly, officials of the Departments of Agriculture, Railways and Works, the Land and Deeds Registry, Catchment Boards, and Pest Destruction Boards have willingly provided information chiefly about specialist services to farmers. They include Messrs R. D. Dick, S. G. Hamblett, W. A. L. Leech, W. R. Lobb, J. P. McDonnell, A. Rowell, D. H. Saunders and C. P. P. Whatman. To these should be added Messrs V. C. North (N.Z.F.C.A.), John Brazier (Airwork, N.Z.) and Murray McFadden. The following Ashburton landowners have on occasion gone to considerable trouble to give me accurate information on runs, farms and farming practices: Messrs J. Blair, R. A. Callaghan, S. M. A. and R. S. A. Chaffey, J. and J. R. Cocks, P. C. Ensor, C. Hilgendorf, R. J. Low, D. S. and J. J. A. Studholme, and J. R. Todhunter. Information about individual churches and parishes has been sent to me by the Revs R. C. Aires, H. F. Ault, W. I. Bacon, H. G. Bartlett, D. A. Blyth, E. A. Brash, H. R. Bycroft, D. R. Curtis, A. D. Hewson, L. H.