A BUSY WEEK.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16829, 26 May 1919, Page 2

A BUSY WEEK.

MR J. ANSTEY'S ACTIVITIES. Mr J. Ansfey, M.P. for AVaitaki, returned to Timaru on Saturday after spending a busy week, in Wellington, and in conversation with a "Herald" reporter gave an interesting account of his activities there. Mr Anstey attended many of the sittings of the Town Planning ence. Although many of the speeches arid recommendations of the various committees contained valuable suggestions which he hoped would have valuable results, the number of really useful and immediately practical suggestions was, he.thought, rather disappointing. To the very important question of how to provide a decent and convenient workers' home, at a rental commensurate with wages no satisfactory solution was forthcoming. The proposal to exempt from duty all building materials, especially iron and fittings, was perhaps the most practical. Mr Anstey attended the deputation organised by the South Canterbury Development League to the Minister of Public Health to urge the establishment of a consumption sanatorium for | South Canterbury and other districts. The deputation consisted of representatives from the South Canterbury, Westland .and Grey Hospital Boards, the Waimate Hospital Committee, Timaru, Oamaru, Geraldine, and Temuka Borough Councils, Waimate, Levels and Geraldine County Councils, the Returned Soldiers' Association, Labour Party, the three South Canterbury M.P's, and Mr T. Seddon, M.P. for Westland. Hie Minister promised financial support to the scheme and] also to visit the proposed site at Tekapo at an early date. Mr Anstey took the opportunity of calling on the Minister of Public W ; orks to inquire when we may expect a resumption of work on the Waihao Downs railway extension, and elicited the promise that the work would be resumed as soon as labour was-available. The money was already appropriated and the Minister said "I will start the work to-morrow if you. will find the men." At his interview with "the. Minister of Lands he was disappointed to find that out of the numerous properties in North Otago and South Canterbury which he had offered to the Government only in two or three cases was there an immediate prospect of their being acquired. He impressed on the Minister that the number of soldiers desiring land-was numerous, and that the men would soon become clamorous. He also urged him to put a stop to the aggregation that was constantly taking place of land urgently required for soldiers' and other settlement. In view of the fact that Oamaru and v\ annate do not appear to be included in any scheme for the supply of hydroelectic power and light that. could serve their requirements for many years to come, Mr Anstey had a long conference with Mr Birks, the Chief Electrical Engineer, with a view of ascertaining if there was any feasible plan for providing these districts with electric power within a short time pending the completion of the dominion scheme. Mi- Birks informed him that there were two ways by which this might be accomplished which on a survey might prove practical, and on subsequently seeing the Minister he promised that this survey should be made and that Mr Birks should undertake the work within a few weeks. Mr Anstey said that be is trying to arrange with Mr Birks to.meet those interested m hydro-electrie energy when he is here | to give them what information he can on the subject. Mr Anstey joined the deputation to the Minister of Pubilc Works to urge on him the more speedv completion of the Otira Tunnel. He "interviewed thd , Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Peakes j and Mr Cockayne respecting experiment farms for these districts, and on the dealing with wheat during this year and the Government proposals for the forthcoming year. A" number of other small, mostly personal matters, including the adjustment of an inadequate war pension, were attended to. Mr Anstey attended the Liberal caucus, the result of which has been published. He expressed his opinion that affairs in the poliiir-al world woiild*take on very important developments in the immediate future.