EXPANSION LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 21504, 31 August 1933, Page 16

EXPANSION LEAGUE

EXECUTIVE MEETING The monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Otago Expansion League was held on Tuesday evening. Air J. •). Marlow. presided, and there were also present Messrs G. J. Errington, H. M'Dowall Smith, A. Smiley, S. B. Crawford, E. Tamblyn, J. Wineiiekl, J. APCrae, T. Harridgo, Watson. W. A. Scott, ,L L. Passmore. W. H. Carson, G. Newer, H. M. -AUKay, W. 13. Taverner,' R.' S. Black, Dr Fergus, and the Rev. L. H. Roberts. The newly-elected president (Air J. .). Marlow), on taking the chair,, welcomed all members, and said he trusted that ail would combine in the endeavour for which the league was initiated, to aid in every well-considcred movement for the furtherance of the best interests of the city and the province. Correspondence from the Chairman of the Unemployment; Board, in connection with the league’s suggestion for suitable work for unemployed men was received.—The Chairman asked for the assistance of a sub-committee in connection with tho utilisation of some gangs of men whoso services were being dispensed witli by the Railways Department, and Mr G. Ernngtbn and the secretary were appointed. , The subject of the Haast Pass road was again considered in connection with ,u letter from the new Alinister of Public Works (Hon .1. Bitchcner), who promised to look into the subject and inform the league at a later date of bis decision. The Southland League wrote regarding the proposal to link the roadway system of Westland with that of the south, and its aid was accepted by the executive, which also paid tribute to the efforts of the Otago Alotor Club in tho same direction. A letter from the Southland League on tho subject of tho Alelbourne-South Island steamer service was received. An invitation for delegates from Otago to attend a meeting at Invercargill in November of all interested bodies in Southland was accepted.—lt was decided to appoint two delegates at a later meeting. Various suggestions were put forward by members, and it was finally resolved that the subject would be taken up when delegates were selected. Lengthy consideration was given to a letter from Mr <l. H. Forbes, of Glenorchy, asking for the league’s assistance in procuring the construction of a motor road from Queenstown to Glenorchy. The letter stated that great hardship and loss of time was forced upon the residents at the head of the lake, dependent as they were upon a weekly steamer service, and difficulty was experienced in securing medical aid in cases of sickness or accident.— Members stated that while they sympathised with the undoubted hardships of the residents in the locality they could not support tho proposed road, ns in their opinion the opening of such a highway would be gravely detrimental to the interests of other dwellers on the lakeside. It was stated that the steamers on the lake, operated by the Railways Department, wore now running at a loss, the road would reduce their already limited cargo and passage receipts, with the result that the service would inevitably be discontinued, and all other dwellers on tho lakeside would be practically cut off. It was arranged that the pre-ses-sional meeting with the local members of Parliament would ho held on September 12, when various matters in connection with the league’s activities and the need of several local bodies and institutions would bo placed before them. The New Zealand Forestry League requested the assistance of the Otago League in pressing for a Royal Commission to consider tho subject of the conservation of native forests. —The idea did not commend itself to the members, who believed that the responsible officers of the two _ departments interested were fully alive to the needs of tho time and were taking such action as they deemed necessary. Correspondence between the Tourist Department and the Railways Publicity Department and the ex-president concerning South Island publleitv were read, and members expressed satisfaction that an amicable understanding had been reached.