PORT IN ESTUARY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20315, 14 August 1931, Page 17

PORT IN ESTUARY.

! SCHEME TO GO BEFORE j COUNCIL. | decision of league. I ino Port Christchurch schema was ! dibcussed last night at tho meeting of the Port Cliristchureh League. The j most important decision made was to | tln> 'City Council to hold a special j meeting at which a deputation from the League could state a case involvJ tho us<* of tho unemployed. Dr. H. T. J. Thacker (president) j was in the chair, others present being j Messrs il. L. Shaw, 11. B. Owen, It. Loll, S, Maealister, C. V. Harvey, P. ! ■ Mulioy, K, Philpott Crowther, S. j W. Richardson, F. B. Hughes, 11. B. j Cotton, C. F. Pryke, R. Lovell Smith, | I'. Meyer, and C. Matson. ! The chairman said that Mr Julian j B. .fcoster, American Trade Commist 11oner, was at present in the City, and suggested tiiat Mi* Foster should ! taken to a point from which ho could bo shown the possibilities of the scheme. Fighting Fund to be Raised. The report of tho Finance Committee recommended that steps should bo taken to raise a lighting fund. .It suggested that the League hold a membership and subscription drive in the month of November and that it be assisted by means of newspaper propaganda. The report was adopted. Mr Owen suggested that the League | should get a picture produced sliow- ; mg what Port Chrislcluirch would | look like, this being agreed to. j Tho chairman promised a prize ot i a guinea lor the person who was able to suggest the twelve best reasons l'or | the construction of Port Christchurch, i and a .similar prize for tho person supi piying the best sketch of i'ort Christj church. He added that tho prizes ; would bo eligible lor children as well : as adults. i The offer was accepted with thanks, j was decided to offer second and ' third prizes in respect of tho best ' sketch of Port Christchurch. ! The vhairmaiL suggested that boys ■ :ind girls should be allowed to join tho League at a fee of (3d or Is as auxiliaries and Mr Pryke suggested that badges should be issued to members . Proposed Relief Work. Mr Meyer stated that the League was indebted to the Press for the publicity given to the movement. He considered it necessary to enlist the sympathy of the school children of Canterbury, lie was not a young man, ho said, but he was certain that he would alive to attend the opening of Port Christchurch. Mr Cotton said that ho was tired oi seeing so much money frittered away on unemployed relief works as was the case at present. Ho hoped to seo the Port Christchurch scheme started as a relief work in tho near future. It was recommended that the League send a deputation to the City Council to urge that unemployed be set to work in connexion with the scheme. This was opposed by Mr Shaw, who stated that a deputation from tho League had waited on the City Council recently and had failed. "Xot failed," remarked Mr Crowther. "It is no use our beating the air,". said Mr Shaw. Mr Meyer said that even if tho first deputation had failed it was no reason whv another deputation should not wait on "tlio Council. j "Of Provincial Benefit." Mr Hughes said that he had come to the conclusion that if a million and a half of money could be spent on u railway station in Auckland, surely a similar sum could be spent in Christehurch, and the Port Christchurch scheme was tho way to solve the question. Not only would such a work benefit Christchurch, but it would dp good to the whole of Canterbury. fee believed that there were thousands of men in Christchurch who vrerc "willing to do an honest day s work provided they were given a worthwhile job. In tho circumstances he considered that tho League should go before the City Council again and endeavour to stir that body into activity. Mr Pryko advocated that a breakwater be constructed at tho site of the port. Unless this were done, he said, no moles would stand. He moved that tho City Council be asked to call a special meeting to hear another deputation from the League on the subject. Mr Shaw said that the Leagues had no right to ask the City Council to tmihl a breakwater or construct a poit, as there was no enabling Act for such a P T°member: Money *a. given to Sumner to build a few moles, « JjJ should not a few thousands be spent on th The° r v k arious suggestions made were noted, and it was decided to »PP the City Council on the lmes of Mr Pryke's motion.