A SERIOUS BLOW.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2030, 17 August 1920, Page 3

A SERIOUS BLOW.

PROGRESS LEAGUE'S ACTIVITIES. GRANTS FROM LOCAL BODIES REDUCED. The Canterbury Progress .League is threatened with compulsory restriction! ot its activities, through its income being I reduced. This has come about through the Christehurch City Council, at its | special meeting to consider its estimates, last week, having reduced its I annual grant to the league from £3OO to £ls0 —an example which already has been followed by at least one other local body. A special meeting of the executive of the league, to consider the position, was held last evening. Mr A. G. Henderson presided. The chairman said that the City Council's action might not be a serious matter in itsejf for one year, but it would be serious if it induced other local bodies to cut down their contributions. He had., therefore, instructed the secretary to call n special meeting tc consider the matter. The Waimairi County Council, whose quota under the schedule was £6l!, had cut down its contribution to £25, and since the City Council meeting the Heatheote County Council had decided to give only £ls, instead of its quota of £29. It was clear that the league could not have assured finance if local bodies paid only 50 per cent, of their quotas. On March 31 of this year, the credit balance in the league's revenue account, after providing for expenditure grants, was £705. The statement of receipts and payments from April 1 to June 30 disclosed ft reduction in the cash balance to £250. Further payments by local bodies during July had increased this to £298, with £175 estimated as accounts owing to sundry creditors. The Finance Committee had always explaiuedsthat the ordinary expenses of the league could be put down at approximately £I2OO. The income from local bodies, on the basis of 6d per £IOOQ, was expected to yield £I3OO per annum. The work throwu jipon the league from all quarters had increased, and therefore the expenses of .maintaining the organisation to a proper state of efficiency must increase. Beyond this, it had been several times pointed out by the Finance Committee that one of the most important departments of the league's activities Jjas scarcely* yet been touched, that being the advertising of Canterbury abroad. It has been generally understood that the 'league . would endeavour to secure an income to cover this class of publicity, and would endeavour to see that it. was done in a thorough and efficient manner.

In January of this year, it was reported by the Finance Committee to the executive that the income for the year would be sufficient for the ordinary operations, but that the raising of funds or special subscriptions, which had been mentioned on several occasions previously, would have to be undertaken early in the coming year. It was essential'that the league' should have .£.')oo or £4OO always available, as it may, :>£ any moment, be called upon*tO under-, take emergency work. The speaker had suggested on several occasions that the league's finances would not be on a strong enough basis until sufficient money was put by into a special account for emergency and special work. From £IOO to £l5O liad to be found each mouth for ordinary activities, and unless the league arranged an overdraft, tli£ quotas of local bodies should be known at the beginning of each year; otherwise the league would not know from day to day what work it may undertake. It would be remembered that the executive decided, \2 months ago, that the basis of tid in the £IOOO laid down should be adhered to, and a subcommittee was appointed to wait upon local bodies in this connection, where necessary. If the income from local bodies'was going to be reduced, some very definite scheme of contributions from business firms would have to be introduced promptly to take its place. The league had always gone for a very, definite system of raising its income, so as to be able to employ an organiser who would give his whole time anil energy to the work, and this policy had been answerable for the success of the league. Continuing, the chairman said that unless the league had some special fund it could not undertake any emergency work. For instance, there was the mat-

ter of postal services last year, at the time of reduction of train services. As • it happened, the Government paid the cost of services then arranged by the league, but it might very well have happened that the league would have had to meet the cost. At present the league was engaged on work of prime moment to Canterbury and Christehurch —he instanced the" Lyttelton-Christ-church railway works and the extension

of the Lake Coleridge electricity scheme —and the work it was doing was worth 10 times the money granted to it for carrying on. It was a great pity that the league should have this anxiety about its general fund just when it was "getting into its stride" in good work for the province. The speaker sug gested that, deputations should he sent to the Christehurch City Council and the other local bodies mentioned, to see if the league could not get the full votes restored. i Mr G. M. Hall, who agreed with the chairman's remarks, said it was entirely on the lead of the Christehurch City Council that the Heathcote County Council cut down its contribution. Mr 3. A. Flesher said that the difficulty the City Council was in was the stringency of its finances at the 'present time. It'should not affect the country fftople. It was pointed out to Mr Flesher (who had arrived late) that already the lead had influenced country people. Mr 11. Holland: It's the death-blow to the league, if it is carried out. With regard to the Waimairi County Council's position, it was stated that in the league's first year that body voted £63 to the league, but did nor. pay any portion of it. This year the council had paid a sum of £25. It was decided that deputations should be sent to the Christehurch City Council and the *--- " County Council, and that inquiries should be made of the Waimairi County Council as to why its vote had not been paid.