SOOTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 12078, 15 June 1920, Page 5

SOOTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK

CANTERBURY'S ATTITUDE. '", STRONG PROTEST BY BLENHEIM Per Press Association. Blenheim, June 14 Strong words about the attitude ttiken up by the Canterbury Progress League in the matter of railway construction were used at the annual meeting of the South Island Main Trunk League. Members remarked that the Canterbury League was reducing Canterbury to tho level of the dog in the manager, and the effect on public opinion throughout the Dominion in relation to public works development was hardly advantageous to the Southern provinces.

On the motion of the newly elected President, Mr E EI Penny, the meeting passed a resolution for circulation throughout New Zealand as under :—"ThisLeaguo, filled with astonishment and indignation at the narrow mindednesa and parochialism displayed by the Oauteibary Progress League in refusing to co-operate with the people of Marlborough in urging the claims of the South Island Main Truns line, regards the attempt to secure exclusive preference for the Otira tunnel as deliberate perversion of the puprorne importance to the dominion of the linking up of the Main Trunk lines, and the more unjustifiable because the provision already made and promised for the Otira tunnel assures the completion of that work in ihe near future, and this undertaking oould hoe have been prejudiced by support to the larger project. Moreover, our League considers it has been treated in a cavalier fashion by the Canterbury League, inasmuch as it was always able to count on the co-opera-tion of. Canterbury in past years. This League trusts the selfishness of the Canterbury League will be noted throughout New Zealand, and widely condemned as contrary to the best interests of the country in the master of public works development. ''