SOUTHLAND NEGLECTED

Evening Star, Issue 18394, 1 October 1923, Page 3

SOUTHLAND NEGLECTED

MIGRATION DELEGATION ITINERARY

UNWORTHY SUSPICION DISSIPATED

LPib United Press Association.!

INVERCARGILL, September 29. A meeting of local bodies called by the Southland League was held this morning for the purpose of making-a united protest against the omission of Southland from the itinerary of the Overseas Migration Delegation. Representatives were present of the Harbor Board, the Power Board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Borough Council, the County Council, the Farmers' Union, and the A, and P. Association, and there was a full attendance of representatives of country local bodies. The opinion was expressed that it was absolutely essential, if the delegation were to form a reliable estimate of the country’s capacity for the absorption of immigrants, that the possibilities of Southland should be thoroughly investigated by the delegation. so that its members should gain a personal knowledge of the opportunities afforded by this district. It was stated that Southland comprised 8,000,000 acres, being one-eighth the total area of the dominion, but it carried only one-twentieth of the population. On the other hand, placet) that were smaller and possessed fewer opportunities for settlement were placed on the itinerary of the delegation. The immense possibilities of land develop, meut, particularly in the dairy industry, were emphasised, and very warn criticism of the Government was indulged in by the speakers. A resolution was passed embodying an emphatic protest against Southland’s omission and demanding immediate information as to the cause of the exclusion, it being maintained that it was not an isolated case of neglect, but merely one of many instances of the persistent ignoring of this district on tho occasions of eminent oversens visitors coming to the diminion to make themselves acquainted with tho country’s capacity in tire production of primary products. Copies of the resolution were sent to the Acting Prime Minister, Sir Wm. Windham (chairman of the delegation), and tho Hon. G. J. Anderson.

DUNEDIN INFLUENCE BLAMED.

THE CHAMBER MOVES,

Tho following loiter has been addressed to the town clerk, Invercargill, by Mr Peter Barr, president of the Diincdiu Chamber of Commerce:—

“Dear Sir, —My attention has been ■drawn to tho newspaper report of tho discussion on this subject at tho last meeting of your council, when His Worship the Mayor is reported to have ‘expressed the opinion that there was some sinister motive apparently at work, in that Southland had been entirely left out of the itinerary arranged for the delegation,’ and to have said ‘ I would not like to say definitely that the influence is at work in Dunedin, but I have a strong suspicion that it is there.’ I think it well to write at once to say, on behalf of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, and, I believe, on behalf of the whole community, that His Worship’s suspicion is entirely unwarranted. Whatever blame may attach to ‘ the people at tho head of affairs,’ cither in Wellington or Australia, who arranged the itinerary, certainly Dunedin was in no way responsible for the exclusion of Southland. “The Chamber of Commerce hero was advised onlv on Wednesday, September 12, that our visitors would arrive the following evening, His Worship tho Mayor, the Otago Expansion League, and other bodies receiving similar advice. At a hurried meeting convened by tho mayor, arrangements were made for the one day to he spent here, and, both at tho civic reception on Thursday evening and at the conference on Friday, very strong disappointment was expressed that tho delegation was making such a flying visit, and would bo unable to visit Central Otago and Southland. Mr Stool, of the Expansion League, and other speakers specially referred to Southland, and stressed the opinion that a serious omission had been made in not including it in tiro itinerary. The visitors themselves expressed tho same regrets, but found it impossible to extend their time in tiro South Island. Wo were given to understand that the visit to Now Zealand was arranged only when they were in Australia, not having been included in the tour as at first planned. “I shall be glad if you will place this before tho mayor and councillors, and if they will accept tho assurance that in Dunedin very sincere regret was felt not only that tho stay of the delegation wag so short, hut also that they were unable to go further south to see the magnificent country surrounding your city. In reply to these representations were were told that the secretary to the delegation, who is its expert adviser ns to agricultural land and settlement, would bo hero later; and I may add that the chamber and the Expansion League are strongly urging that tie should extend his visit to both Southland and Central Otago. ■ "Whatever the 'people at the head 1 of affairs ’ may think, Dunedin people fully realise that Invercargill ‘is not just "a suburb of Dunedin,’ and I trust that his worship and councillors will dismiss such an idea from their minds for nil time, and believe that Dunedin heartily wishes success and prosperity to your city and to Southland. “I understand that Mr Steel is writing to the Southland League on the subject.” So far no reply has been received to tho foregoing eommunication.