REDUCTION IN INCOME

Southland Times, Issue 23538, 18 June 1938, Page 21

REDUCTION IN INCOME

SOUTHLAND PROGRESS LEAGUE DEFICIENCY IN REVENUE ACCOUNT “The reduced income of recent years has tended towards restricting the activities of the league,” states the annual report of the Southland Progress League. “As has been mentioned ~n previous occasions, the value of the league’s work for Southland could be increased tremendously if it had more finances available. Many of the local bodies are this year being asked to consider increasing the amount of their annual contributions to the league, and it is sincerely trusted there will be a satisfactory response to this appeal. It is regrettable to note that during the year the income was barely sufficient to cover expenses, with the result that the revenue account now shows a deficiency of £44 17/10.” . ■ ■ Publicity was a subject which was continually receiving attention. Actually, no fresh folders had been published since the expenditure of the moneys raised for the special Otago and Southland publicity campaign of a little over 12 months ago. More than £lOOO was raised and expended in this special effort to advertise the potentialities and attractions of the southern portion of New Zealand.

The league’s attention was recently drawn to the importance of a close watch being kept upon the deer menace at Stewart Island. Correspondence was at present passing between the league and the Minister of Internal Affairs. A recent communication received from the Minister would indicate that the department was adopting a serious stand in the matter of endeavouring to exterminate the deer on Stewart Island, which must be acknowledged as being a national reserve of great . scenic and scientific value. Another question which was regarded as being important for the immediate future of Stewart Island was the matter of the authorities giving favourable consideration to the establishment of a Government hostel at the island. If this extra accommodation were available it would undoubtedly result in increased patronage of Stewart Island by visitors. It was encouraging to note the satisfactory increase in passenger traffic to the island for the past summer season as compared with any other recent season. WATER SCHEME Early this year a proposal was brought before the league that it should interest itself in a suggestion for a provincial water supply scheme for Southland from Lake Wakatipu. Mr F. M. Corkill, city engineer, was approached, and he consented to address a meeting of the executive on the subject. Copies of the address were later circulated to various of the Southland local bodies. It appeared that the scheme could hardly be regarded as practicable at the present time at any rate, so the proposal was dropped. The league recently reminded the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) of a promise made by the Government some time ago for the institution of a rail-car service between Invercargill and Kingston, via Gore and Lumsden. The Minister had now advised that because of the difficulty in obtaining supplies of material and equipment from Great Britain, the construction of the rail-cars which were to be placed in service in Southland and elsewhere had been delayed, but that the league could rest assured that the claims of the district to a rail-car service would not be overlooked when the vehicles were made available. Proposals placed before the league setting out a plan for tree planting as a centennial memorial, were forwarded on to the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) for consideration. The Minister had informed the league that the value of tree planting proposals was fully appreciated, and that suitable provision for commemorating the centennial in this way would not be overlooked. , . The league was at present in communication with the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. Webb), and had drawn his attention to the desirability of steps being taken to investigate the possibilities of oil in Southland. Extensive operations were being put under way in the matter of prospecting for oil in other parts of New Zeaalnd. There was a big area of country in Southland with a sub-strata of shale and coal, and it was felt that the possibilities for prospecting for oil are well worthy of investigation.