LOCAL BODY AFFAIRS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27628, 7 April 1955, Page 10

LOCAL BODY AFFAIRS

ALLEGATION AGAINST PROGRESS LEAGUE

INTERFERENCE DENIED

That the Canterbury Progress League had no intention of interfering in domestic local body affairs was emphasised by members of the league at a meeting yesterday, when they discussed a letter from the Waimairi County Council.

The council advised that it had approved a grant of £63 for the league in the 1955-56 financial year. “When this matter was under consideration, the council expressed concern at the action of the league in interfering in the domestic affairs of individual local bodies, and stated that unless the league adheres to provincial matters only, the corn?il will be obliged to withdraw its s.pport,” said the letter.

At th* l 1 st meeting of the council, the chairman (Mr F. W. Walter) said the league should not concern itself with the classification of particular county roads. The progess league had supported one county, which asked to have a main highway declared a State highway. “We don’t interfere with domestic affairs of any local body,” said the chairman (Mr E. C. Bathurst). “The Hals well County Council also brought up an allegation that we were political, but we emphasise that we are not.’’

The Waimairi County Council representative (Mr A. R. Blank) said he had denied in the council that the league was interfering with local politics. He had then moved that the grant be given. Mr Bathurst: I would like to see a motion carried that we have no intention of interfering in , local affairs. He thought it was hitting a little below the belt when Mr Walter had implied that we “were poking our noses into other people’s business,’’ said Mr W. C. Miller, who is also a member of the Wairewa County Council, in whose area the road concerned, from Motukarara to the top of Gebbies Pass, is situated.

“Once the league used to be chastened for not doing enough, but now for too much,’’ he said. “I took exception to Mr Walter saying we were a wealthy county. If we had done all we should have done we would have no money in the kitty. I can’t see why the chairman of the Waimairi County Council had to throw his nose cut about it.”