OTAGO INTERESTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19202, 19 June 1924, Page 6

OTAGO INTERESTS.

The Otago Expansion League was inspired by a happy idea when it first decided to invite the city and provincial members of Parliament to a prosessional conference, with a view to arriving at a definite understanding in regard to the more pressing requirements of the district. In times past there was often a lack of effective cooperation on the part of local representatives in prosecuting Otago interests; and although the conditions in this respect have been more satisfactory of late years there may still be scope for an increase of solidarity and united energy. There is no occasion to have recourse to the narrow form of pro vincial propagandism not unknown in some other parts of the dominion;. indeed, such a line of exclusive activity is strongly to be deprecated. Otago only asks for a fair deal in the matters of Government attention and public ex penditure, but it will continue to get less than its rights if it does not speak ' out on its own account with reasonable boldness.. The attendance of members of Parliament on Tuesday was not as large as might have been desired, and it would have been well to hold the conference at a rather earlier date ; but the absentees will gather from the reports of the proceedings a clear impression of the views and aspirations of the Expansion League. There was no lack of variety in the programme discussed at the meeting. Railway requirements (with particular reference to the duplication of the Port Chalmers line, an extension of the Roxburgh line beyond Miller’s Flat, and the needs of th* Clutha Valley), hydro-electric energy and irrigation, the scenic attractions of the dominion, transport problems, immigration, the Waipori Empowering Bill, “ Prime Otago ” lamb' versus “ Prime Canterbury,” and the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition comprise a sufficiently comprehensive array of topics. Not one of the number is trivial nor is there one in recard to which there seems to be any ground for dissenting from the arguments of the advocates who explained the special claims. The speakers were invited by the chairman to “confine themselves to as brief a space as possible ”; hut perhaps in cue or two instances the details of the various enterprises were set forth with superabundant particularity. It is a little disappointing (though the arrangement may have been politic) that it was “ in private ” that tne members of the Legislature, after the diversion ot supper, addressed the gathering on the subjects which had been put before them. It is understood, however, that the parliamentary representatives evinced a keen appreciation of the importance of the projects which had been so assiduously advocated ; and we entertain no doubt that they will, on grounds alike of private conscience and political self-interest, be earnestly attentive to Otago interests during the coming session. It would be easy to enlarge upon each of the questions treated at the conference, and it may bo invidious to make distinctions; but perhaps the Port Chalmers railway, irrigation in Central Otago, and the condition of tourist resorts (with close relation to Exhibition prospects) are most conspicuous. Mr J. Inglis Wright’s observations on the inadequate fostering of the scenic resorts in the southern part of the dominion were very timely; and Mr J. Sutherland Ross pertinently remarked —“ They hoped to have next year a very large influx of visitors to the Exhibition, and if the conditions described by Mr Wright still obtained then the visitors would not go away with very bright impressions.” The Otago members have ample scope for local as well as national usefulness.