NELSON NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 99, 23 October 1924, Page 7

NELSON NEWS

CANTERBURY PROGRESS

LEAGUE

(FItOSC OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

NELSON, 22nd October.

A party "Representing the Canterbury Progress League left Christchurch on Tuesday on a tour of investigation of Marlborough and Nelson, in connection with tho route of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, The representatives are Messrs. H. Herbert Smith (president), W. K. M'Alpine, and P. B. Climie,(organiser). Mr. H. M. Crystall (consulting engineer) accompanies the party in an honorary capacity, and has consented to act as technical, adviser and 'photographer. The following is the itinerary: Leave by private car for Mendip Hills; inspection on horseback of proposed route up the Leader Valley as-far as Conway River; return again to Mendip Hills, and thence by car to Kaikoura. (The evening Will be kept: free to enable members to collect local evidence and examine witnesses, etc.) Inspection of the -route between Conway River and Kaikoura, and the country tlfat would be opened up by the railway (the even-' ing will be devoted to further collection of data, etc.); leave Kaikoura by car, inspecting country on route (the Blenheim representatives will probably join the party at the Clarence River) ; the next two days will be spent in and around Blenheim inspecting country, collecting evidence, and conferring with local representatives 5 leave" Blenheim by car for Nelson, where party will be met by local representatives; next day will be spent in Nelson in company with representatives of tho Nelson Provincial Progress League and other local representatives ; the following day, leave Nelson by car for Murchison, inspecting country, ; remaining at Murchison. where itinerary is being arranged by local representatives,- afterwards leaving Murchison by car' for' Reefton, inspecting Buller Gorge route on the way. It is expected that the party will leave Reefton for Christchuroh by car about 2nd or 3rd Noyember.

• The last programme of the winter season of the Chautauqua session in Nelson was'given-last Monday evening at the Mai-Eden Hall, there being a large attendance. Instrumental music comprised the first portion of the programme._ Miss Allinson, an accomplish' ed "pianist, contributed several items of a very high order, all of which were en" thusiastically encored. In addition Miss j Alhnson played the accompaniments for the violinist,- Miss Ziebell, who was equally successful with her .contributions, the appreciative audience warmly demonstrating its pleasure. Dr. D. D. Vaughan, University professor, lecturer, and ' author, lectured on I'The Rising Tide ef Democracy," stressing the need for closer union of the I great English-speaking races. In re- [ ferring to' the Chautauqua movement, he said that Chautauqua was in existence in 25,000 towns in America. At present the whole world was in a state of agitation—moving forward all the time. Intellectually, men and women should ad- | vance together. Labour was assuming power all-over the world. The British Labour Party was making the world sit ap and take, notice. What characterised the party was its religious ancl intellectual idealism. The man who made evolution, impossible was the man who made revolution inevitable. Man throughout the world was realising that he was-a personality with a soul. The world was realising the essential democracy of the Bible. The subject matter of art and literature had been democratised in recent years. The children of the rich and poor were educated together. In material things and international /ralationsliips there had also been democratisation. He believed the time would come when the antagonisms existing ■ between ■ countries and groups of countries would cease, and the whole world be united, when that for which the Carpenter of Nazareth died would [ reign supreme. -At the Chamber of. Commerce meetj ing on Monday evening Mr. Hounsell, telegraph engineer, gave some interesting information concerning the work of converting the Nelson ' Telephone Exchange_ to the metallic system, which work is now nearing completion. Mr. Hounsell said that in three months' I time there should be a complete absence of overhearing and electric light "hum." The reconstruction of the main line from Nelson to Inangahua has been authorised, and the work will be pushed on as expeditiously as possible. Additional telephone circuits are to be provided between Nelson-Richmond Nelson-Bright-water, Nelson - Murchison - Westport, Wakefield-Kohatu, and Wakefield-Glen-hope. Offices on the route will be rearranged, so that a first-class telephone service will be obtained between offices from Nelson to Hokitika-. Other .important works were referred to, and it was stated that in addition to the conversion of the Motueka. Exchange to the metallic circuit, similar. work would be put in hand at Takaka at an early date. A telephone cable is to be laid across Cook Strait, landed at the Blind River, and. run into Seddon. A continuous service will then be established between the Nelson district and the main exchanges in the North Island. Poles numbering 4000 had.recently-been landed at Nelson from Australia, principally for the new line to Murchison. The approximate cost of the works authorised is over £40,000. The president, Mr J. Allan Mitchell, said Mr. Hounsell had given the chamber some valuable information, and he moved that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded him. Tho motion was carried with applause. A meeting is to be hold at the end of the week at Motueka to form a. subbranch of tho Nelson Teachers' Institute. An address will be given by Mr. Pitcaithly, senior, inspector. The committee promoting the, proposal to constitute the Wangapeka- and Motupiko Ridings of the Waimea. County as a separate county, report that after having placed the petition before all ratepayers who are available in those ridings, fully 90 per cent, have signed the petition. ' The following'was carried at the last meeting of the Tahunanui Town Board > 'That the District Highways Board be asked to convene a meeting of the local bodies concerned with the erection of an overhead bridge at Annesbrook rail-, way. crossing, with a view to coming to some definite arrangement to settle the question of overhead bridge." The Children's Gala Day Committee has accepted the offer of the Workers' Co-operative Society of a Challenge Shield for annual competition for the best historical group, open to all primary schools. The offer ■ was accepted with thanks and expressions of appreciation. It was decided that the groups should represent British Empire subjects. The secretary was instructed to forward invitations to the Prime Minister, Mr. H. Atmore, M.P the Hon. W. W. Snodgrass, and the Mayor and councillors to be present at the afternoon's entertainment in the Botanical Reserve. The Gala.Day is being held on Bth November, the same day as tho Civic Jubilee ' celebrations. The Becrotary,- Mr. F. V. Knapp, reported that the indications wero that a much larger number of children would attend tin's year, tho proposal being taken'up with great enthusiasm.

The Nel.Moii Operatic and Dramatic

Theatre Royal, opened a four nights' season with the musical comedy, "Our Miss Gibbs," which was most successfully staged, under the direction of Mr. T. E. Foster, the producer. The audience was large and most appreciative. Mr. J. B. Temmer had charge of the orchestra. Miss lI.'M. Hill was pianist. The production is considered ,to be up to the high standard always attained by Nelson amateurs.