PROGRESS LEAGUES

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 April 1925, Page 3

PROGRESS LEAGUES

IM AIN TRUNK COMPLETION. 7 {Special to “Star.”) INVERCARGILL, April 28; At to-day's conference of representatives of the South Island Progress Leagues, an important proposal was made, “that in the interests of efficiency and economy, tile;' time has arrived when a highways board should be for each Island, that a board consisting of da nominee al the Government, a member elected by the County Councils’ Association, and a representative of the South Island Motor Association, with headquarters in Christchurch, be created to control the South Island Highways. ” Sin support of the proposition, Mr S. B. MacDonald (Otago), said that whileappreciating the motives of the Act, he was sure that a board for the whole xof New Zealand was impracticable. The larger number of votes on the board ■were in the. North Island, .and it was only necessary to consider the last twelve months’ working to realise that the majority of the revenue had'been expended on the North Island roads. Furthermore, last year, thousands of pounds in free grants were made to the North Island highways, and only a few hundred' pounds allowed the South Island in free grants. ' Mr W. B. Steel (Otago), in supporting the motion, said that free grants were extensive from Auckland to Wellington.. Over £20,000 in all, while the main Christchurch-Invercargill road received only a few hundreds' for

the South Canterbiuy portion. South Island’s roads had been made by the local bodies concerned without Government assistance, and the North Island went to the Government and received big grants without conditions to improve the state of the roads which local bodies had neglected. A main highways board for each island was necessary. Mr H. J., Knight (Canterbury) said that the difficulty lay in the system of I counties through which the roads passed. The Board was asked to give £1 and £2 for every £1 of highways grant, but he would like to see the motion go further and ask for reconsideration of the whole system of granting money for road improvement. Messrs Clyne, Grey, Beard, Alexander add Moffatt supported the motion, .which was earned. It was further decided to ask Mr Coates al - Public Works) to introduce legislation

to give effect to the wishes of the con ference. BULLER VALLEY GAP. Mr W. J. Moffat (Nelson) moved that the conference of Progress Leagues urge the necessity for completing the railway from Nelson to the West Coast, giving through connection to Nelson, West Coas't, Canterbury and Southland. Mr Moffatt quoted statements and figures to show the importance of linking up Nelson with Murchison. There was undoubtedly an urgent necessity for the speedy completion of a railway running through the North and South Island and so connecting Nelson at the northern end with Invercargill at the southern. The yffly gap which remained was 55 miles in the Buller Valley between Pikomanu and Inangahua, The declared policy of the Government, was to concentrate its efforts upon the rapid completion of trunk lines, and in pursuance of that policy, the claims of the Buller Valley section h.ad paramount claims. Comparing the merits of the Buller Valley section with those of the East Coast route, advocated by Mr Goulter, the gap in the former was only 55, as compared with the 80 miles required to connect up Wharanui and Parnassus. There would also be a great difference in the cost. * Mr MacDonald complimented the delegates 'from and Marlborough, on the fine addresses given. Unfortunately, representatives of the Southern leagues were not able to come to any finality- on this great question. So far as Otago was concerned, it was determined that the Main Trunk Line should be. completed at the earliest possible moment, but the question of which was the better route was one 1. which he felt the dedegates were not prepared to vote that day. He was prepared, however, to give a promise that so. far as Otago was concerned, they would hold a meeting immediately the information was available, and fully investigate the whole matter. He accordingly moved the .foil wing resolution : —Having heard delegates from Marlborough and Nelson, this meeting t is unable to express a definite opinion on the merits of the respective routes until their various executives had had an opportunity of fully considering the evidence as placed before this meeting; that the Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough Leagues be requested to forward to Otago and Southland for their consideration full particulars and reports of the -scheme. Mr Climie formally seconded the motion, which was carried without further discusion. Mr Moffatt (Nelson) then expressed a wish that the conference should pass a resolution in regard to the NelsonMurchison line, and on his recommendation, the following resolution was carried: “That the conference of South Island Leagues approves of the expressed intention of the Minister of Public Works to complete the 'onstruction of the line from Kawatiri to Murchison, and expresses the hope that the work will be accelerated.”

REMITS APPROVED. (Per l > res< AssociaTTouj INVERCARGILL, April 28. Remits were carried as follow at the League’s Conference:— “That this < ’ Conference urges the question di the early completion of the West Coast road from Blenheim as a Government road. “That 6 this Conference urges the Government to adopt a town-planning bill at the next session of Parliament. “That the scenic beauties and tourist resorts of the South Island should receive much greater publicity from the Government than they have hitherto had. “That in the interests of the users of New Zealand coal, the Buller Gorge railway should be linked up with the South Island main system with the greatest possible expedition. “That this Conference expresses the opinion that the co-ordination of the efforts of the South members of Parliament is desirable, and to that end suggests that such Members be asked to confer with a view to forming a committee on non-party questions affecting the South Island interests (as for example, shipping difficulties), and that such committee appoint a convenor to whom can be recommended the combined views of the South Island Leagues on questions of community interest, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the present and future South Island Members of both Houses. “That this Conference is of opinion that the Dominion should adopt a wellconsidered and progressive policy to secure a largely increased number of ■suitable immigrants annually from the United Kingdom, which, whilst assisting the prosperity and progress of New Zealand, would, at the same time, assist the Mother Country by relieving her of portion of her surplus population.”