PROGRESS LEAGUE.

Northern Advocate, 24 July 1923, Page 3

PROGRESS LEAGUE.

APPEAL TO BOROUGH COUNCIL.

NO MONEY

AVAILABLE,

In conformity with the decision of the Whangurei branch of the North Auckland Progress League to approach local bodies in the district for moral and financial support of the movement, Messrs C. East and A. H. Curtis waited upon the Whangarei Borough Council last evening to seek the aid of that body. :: ■ . i j • \ Mr East explained the objects for which the League had been promoted, which wias to spread information relative to the resources and possibilities of the North. It had been felt that it was time to do so, as the district was beginning to develop, and unless some publicity were gone in for then tho district would not get the full results of that development. The idea was to form branches of the League in all centres in the North, wit\t a main executive in Whangarei. Already the committee had been in communication with Helensville, and it was intended to interview those chiefly interested there and also in Dargaville, and then all the Noithcrh centres would be approached. Membership subscription had been fixed at 10/ per annum foi individuals and £10 for local bodies.

Mr East then read the very meagre account of North Auckland given in the Official Handbook which the Government had had prepared for the Empire Exhibition in London. The North 'was briefly referred to in that publication as the home of the giant kauri, described as one of the finest timbers in the world, which had been much sought in the early days for ships' spars. The fact that the kauri forests had also given rise to the gum industry, and a cursory reference to the extunction of oils in that connection, was the sum' 'total of the references to the North Auckland Peninsula.

i "That is all that is to be distributed in-information relative to the North in London,'' paid Mr East, "and people will get the idea from this booklet, in which the views are very poor throughout, that North Auckland had a prohistoric importance in the timber industry, and that nowadays people get a living out of the remnant of that industry." It was not to be expected, Mr East continued, that Auckland would help the Northern districts, and the only measure left Was for the people of the North to shoulder the wheel and go yi for a publicity campaign. To show ihat the League had the support of the district it was deemed necessary that the /local bodies should support the movement. The Mayor, Mr D. A. McLean, was already the president, and what the League wanted was appointment to the executive of a representative of the Council, which he hoped would contribute a minimum granjt' f.f £10 per annum. The County Council, for sufficient reasons, had not been. able to contribute, .much ' monetarily this year, but it had done well, and "was in hearty sympathy wfit-h the League.

Mr East then referred to the success achieved by the Canterbury Progress! League, towards the funds of which County Councils had contributed £1.056 and the Christchurch City Council £4G5 k Those grants represented bigger- dimensions than would appertain in North Auckland, «t any rate for some time. AM, however, had faith in the district, and therefore he trusted that the Council would favourably consider the appeal made.

Mr Curtis said he understood that the formation of the League emanated more or loss from the Borough Council. North Auckland, he declared, had never come into it own. It wias in its infancy. It had $he goods, and all that was needed was to get the people and it would soon have the same proportion of population as other districts. Whangarei was the central town of the North and therefore should enter more into the movement than others and contribute towards the funds to make +he North what it really should have been in the past.

"If a donation is made, where can the money come from?" queried Cr. I. W. Moore.

The Deputy-Mayor, Mr W. IT.1 T . Timewell, said that the only source of revenue for such a purpose was- from the Unauthorised Expenditure Fund, and as that was about exhausted ho eould not where the money would come from other than by personal contribution bv members.

Cr. A. T. Brriinpbv thereupon <*osled that the Council agree to join the League and that the question of contribution be left over until the. return of the Mayor. Or. A. D. .Tnclc moved in that rlirec"ion, adding that Cr. Brainsbv the, representative on the League, nr»(l the motion, seconded by Cr. E. G. W. Tibbit.*. was carried unanimously.

"We are trying to make a township out of a jungle and a Sahara desert." r.aid Councillor Rogers at the meeting oF the Castlecliff Town Board. —Wanganui "Chronicle."

"I don't know whether the Carterton canvassers possess more ability or •energy, or are better gifted with persuasive powers, than MastoTton canvassers. but they always obtain a very substantial amount in donations to their show from Mnsterton business people; .sometimes more really than

we are able to secure for our own show," remarked a member at a meeting of the general committee of the Mnsterton A. and P. Association. — ("Wairarapa Daily Times.")