SOUTHLAND LEAGUE

Southland Times, Issue 21273, 19 December 1930, Page 10

SOUTHLAND LEAGUE

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. A meeting of the erecutivc of the Southland League was held last evening when the president, Mr C. S. Longuet, presided over Messrs S. Ritchie, W. Hinchey, A. S. Russell, J. Robertson, J. S. Baxter, A. W. Jones, ■H. R. Andrews, H. L. Mair, H. B. Farnall, M. H. Mitchel, T. R. Burt, G. Blaxall and J. Stevenson. The Town Clerk (Mr C. L. Grange) wrote stating that the Lake County Council had advised him that it would receive a deputation consisting of-representatives of the Southland local and public bodies at the next meeting on January 27. A meeting of the representatives for’ the purpose of preparing the case for the inclusion of Queenstown in the Southland regional area would be held about January 20. A letter was received from the secretary of the Southland Education Board (Mr R. Brownlie) stating that he had recently advised the league that Mr W. Grieve had been appointed to succeed Mr A. W. Jones as the board’s representative on the league, Mr Jones having severed his connection with the board. This alteration had been made because, owing to a misunderstanding, the board had thought that Mr Jones was unwilling to continue as the board’s representative. The matter was being further considered by the board and he asked if the constitution of the league would permit the board being represented by other than a member.

The constitution of the league would allow the board to have any representative it desired, Mr Longuet said, and the secretary was instructed to advise the board accordingly.

Replying to a letter asking him to inquire regarding the possibilities of getting the Tasmanian Government to contribute towards the subsidy paid by the New Zealand Government to the Bluff-Melbourne steamer service, Mr J. M. Fisher, of Hobart, stated that the matter had been dealt with and had been before Parliament on November 19. He enclosed an extract from the Hobart Mercury giving a report of the proceedings in Parliament. It would be seen from this, Mr Fisher stated, that although nothing definite had been done pleasure had been expressed at such an ■important matter being brought before Parliament. The members of the Hobart Travel and Industries League were not at all dispirited, but intended to renew their activities with even greater zeal than before, and they were agreed that, as the editor of the Mercury had said, “something would have to be done, politics or no politics.” They were hopeful that much good would result from the visit of Mr Schmitt, the New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner from Sydney. The opinion was expressed that it was time that the Australian maritime laws were amended to allow Hobart to be brought into the important link between Melbourne and New Zealand. Mr Farnall said he thought the time had come when they should approach the Tasmanian Government direct.

Mr Hinchery said that the Commonwealth Government was the stumbling block. He suggested that the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes should go into the matter when in Australia. He moved that the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle should be asked to request Mr Forbes to go into the matter and this was agreed to. “I see by the newspaper that your league has been instrumental in working up a trade in paua shells with Australia,” Mr Thomas E. Wybrow, Waikawa, wrote. He asked for particulars regarding the value of the shells for export and stated that the Waikawa coast line was teeming with the paua.

The secretary was instructed to supply the information available, Mr A. S. Russell remarking that so far the export of the shells had been purely experimental and no price had been fixed. A letter from the Queenstown Borough Council referred to the curtailment of the lake steamer service and emphasized the inconvenience caused to motorists and business people generally. The letter also referred to the large amount of use given to the two obsolete vessels on the lake while the Eamslaw was only used for about four months of the year. Referring to the Queenstown-Kingston road the letter said that local opinion was that the road and an adequate steamer service were both essential to tourists, business interests and the social welfare of the district. It was decided that the matter would be discussed at the next meeting, and in the meantime the secretary was instructed to refer the matters mentioned to the Ministers of the Crown concerned.

At the conclusion of the meeting the president wished those present a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Times were said to be hard, he said, but ho did not think they had any cause to grumble. Southland was very well off and he felt sure that they could look forward to better times in the future.