"DOG IN MANGER."

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18435, 15 June 1920, Page 6

"DOG IN MANGER."

A BLENHEIM ACCUSATION

PROGRESS LEAGUE ASSAILED. TPkr Press Association.] BLENHEIM, June 14. Strontr words about the attitude taken up by tho Canterbury Progress Kiio in the matter of railway consStion were used at the annual struction wc Mam r lrxmk LeUe th ° Members remarked that the league, j reducing CanSuS of the dog in the torbury to ff t ~ übhc ESS? tluoughout the Dominion in ffi" + „ public works development vt hard v advantageous to the «fl£ en province. On the motion of the nowlv-elected president, Mr E. H. Pennv the following resolution was passed for circulation throughout .New « TWsTeagne is "'led with astonishment and indignation at the narrowmindedness and parochialism displayed bv the Canterbury Progress League in refusing to co-operate with the people of Marlborough in urging the claims or the South Island Main Trunk Line. It regards the attempt to secure exclusive preference for the Otira tunnel as a deliberate perversion of tho supreme importance to tho Dominion of linking up the Main Trunk lines, and the more unjustifiable because the provision already made and promised for the Otira tunriol assures tho completion of that work in the near future, and this undertaking could not bo prejudiced by support to the larger project. Moreover, our league considers that it has been treated in 'cavalier fashion, as it was always able to count on tho cooperation of Canterbury in past years. This leasuo trusts that tho selfishness of the Canterbury League will bo noted throughout New Zealand, and widely condemned as contrary to the best interests of the country in the matter of public works development." THE POSITION EXPLAINED. When the abovo telegram was shown to Mr A. 0. Henderson, vice-presi-dent of the Progress League, he said that tho South Island Main Trunk League in Marlborough was "barking up tho wrong tree," and basing its views on a misunderstanding of the attitude of tho Progress League. At the last meeting of the oxecutivo, on Juno 2, the following resolution was* carried : " That the league realises the importance of the South Island Main Trunk Lino being proceeded with, and will make the best use of any opportunity that arises to support the completion of the line." " Members of the league expressed their warmest appreciation of the necessity for pushing on the main trunk line," continued Mr Henderson. " Perhaps at the heart of'this fiery resolution from Blenheim is the activity of tho Wellington Central Progress League, which has extended its district to include Marlborough, -nelson and part of the West Coast. The Central League is not very triendly towards the Canterbury League, and it may desiro to put a spoke in Canterbury's wheel. But if the Marlborough people want Canterbury's support they must show that they deservo it and are in sympathy with Canterbury. This railway ia not going to connect Marlborough with Wellington, but with Canterbury, and if they went co-operation from this end they ought to go to work in a manner that will bring Canterbury's cooperation. We want to see the line completed, and it ought to have been completed years ago. Wo don't want to quarrel with the Central League or any .other league that wants to malse progress for the Dominion. Our policy has been to co-oporato with any other league that will give its assistance in any desirable movement. As far as discrimination between the West Coast railway and the South Island Mam Trunk is concerned, wo are pledged to ?eo the West Coast line completed as toon as it possibly can be completed Our support to the West Coast line does not mean that we will not support the completion ol the East Coast line. There is no dog in the manger oi parochialism about our league- or tt» policy. It is not our business to secure exclusive preference for the Otira tunnel. That preference was decided before tho Canterbury Progress League came into existence. The league s interest is to indvice the Government to wash up a job that has been hanging fire for a quarter of a century. To nw the only explanation of tho Marlborough resolution is that some shprfc-siighted und narrow-minded people in Marlborough are trying to stir up strife Ihore with the idefc or prompting closer 'association between Marlborough and Wellington. If that is so, the sooner tho Marlbororgh people drop the agi tators overboard tho hotter it will do for them and everybody else."