LINKING UP.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 24 June 1924, Page 6

LINKING UP.

NORTH AND SOUTH CANTERBURY

DEPUTATION FROM PROGRESS LEAGUE.

At the meeting of the Timaru Bor ough Council last night, Mr P. It. Climie (organiser to the Canterbury Progress League) invited the Council to give a subsidy to his League, in return for which the League would extend iis sphere of operations to South Canterbury. In waiting upon the Council, Mr Climie was supported by a number of local residents, the deputation consisting of Messrs P. R. Climie, R. L. Wiglev, i>\ C. Mac, R. D. Halstead, 1L B. Bell, T. R. Alackay, W. D. Kevcll, Dr. C. A. Paterson, and Commander E. G. Rhodes, R.N. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Messrs C. G. Curtis, H. F .Morten, W. Evans, E. D. Bust, J..W, Soutcr, W. If. Walton and A. Priest, all of whom expressed sympathy with'the object of the deputation. Mr M. J. Doyle also sent an apology for absenco owing to indisposition.

Mr Mackay, in introducing Mr Climie, said that the latter had not come to Timaru at the request of the Progress League, but at the invitation of South Canterbury residents, who desired to see the district progress. He noticed a number of opinions in that morning’s paper on the subject, but d seemed to him that these opinions were a little previous In his opinion tho Tekapo Development League and the Canterbury Progress League should work in harmony. He believed in the Tekapo scheme, but before they could go in for it, there must be a preliminary investigation, so that they might ascertain whether they would bo justified in going on with it. He was not one of those who believed that if South Canterbury linked up with the Canterbury Progress League, it would lose its identity.

Mr Climie addressed tho Council at cor -Vterable length. He explained that tin. Progress League lad behind it 113 miblic bodies in North Canterbury, and ho showed how the League’s work had grown and prospered. He detailed the work which had been accomplished by the League, and the work now in progress. Included in the work which had been accomplished by the League, Mr Climie mentioned the expediting, by at least a year,' of'the completion of. the Midland railway: the development of Lake Coleridge power to its present standard of 12,000 k.w., a year sooner than it would otherwise have reached that standard; find the developing, bi a market for that power; the initiation of four Electric tPower Boards; the carrying out of a publicity campaign on bell alt of North Canterbury, five booklets having been issued, and. 50.000 copies sent to the* British Empire Exhibition ; the getting together of the Canterbury members of Parliament so that they now meet every- month in Christchurch to consider matters of moment to North Canterbury; the formation of a District Railway Committee', which had done exceedingly- good work- port communication and the host means of improving it; the i£gin highways: shipping questions; the organisation of auxiliary daily mail services, when the railway service was disorganised : the formation of a "Westland League which worked in co-operation with ’the Canterbury League for the benefit' of both the East and the West Coasts; the finding of' work for tho unemployed in slack periods; rural education, including travelling libraries for country districts; tho establishment of a Government-owned aerodrome at Christchurch (instead of allowing Auckland to get it), and the reduction in telephone charges by which Canterbury was saving about £ 15,00 per annum. Mr Climie said there was no limit to the work which the League could accomplish if the whole province pulled together. Tire basis on which contributions were paid by- contributing local bodies was 6d per £IOOO of rateable capital value. The local bodies m North Canterbury contributed readily, recognising that tliey r got good value for their money; if at any tirii'O they considered they were not getting such value, they coidd withdraw- their support of the League.

THE DISCUSSION.

In reply to Cr. Guinness, Mr Climie said he felt sure that his League would bo prepared to help in connection with the bridging of rivers like the llangitata, where a bridge was urgently needed below tile railway line, it uas not lu Ins power to commit tiie League, but he felt sure iliat the matter would be heartily taken up by ins orgamsManchester inquired whether the other local bodies of South Canterbury would join the League if tlio Tnnaru Borough Council did. It seemed to him that they must all be united it any good were, to be done. ° Mr Climie said lie could not answer ihe question until he had waitc-d oil the other local bodies, but he was sure that it would be in the best interests oi them ail to join the League, which would do ail it could to promote progress. One of the first things to bo done for South Canterbury was to bring it into line with North Cantor bury 3 in the matter of a hydro-electric supply, and the next thing would be to issue u booklet on South Canterbury with a view to advertising it In reply to the -Mayor, Air Unm.c said that‘South Canterbury would not lose its identity by throwing m n-=. tot with the League; there would be South Canterbury Committee, htiy » cent, of Ihe income rrom this committee In- * ■'; , t would have full ‘ work the League should take up. lu rcplv to Cr. \ iiineli, -Mi Uinno said unit" the local committco would lup-e local autonomy. Cr vinn-il sain mat it tlmt were so, if would be better for South Canterlmrv to work entirely on its own; it .’ll ] r;Vl - a greater chance then ot getting unanimity, and of doing somethin! 1 ' usetul. r Jii'further ropiy to Cr. \ innell, Air CJ,,,lie said tlic Progress League had m-ver discussed the Waimakariri* power scheme, and it had no opinfiou to ofier thereon. It was in just tlio same position in regard lo Waituakariri as m regard to Tekapo. . l At this stage the deputation retired, the Alavor stating that they all knew Sim opinion on the subject which was that South Canterbury certainly should link up with North Canterbury. Ah' Mackav thanked the Council tor the .sympathetic hearing which the deputation had received.

A MOTION MOYLD

The Mayor moved that the limarti Boi-ou'di Council approves of the aims and objects of the Canterbury Pro-.,-ivss League, agrees to affiliate with that, body" and to contribute its quota to it, namely .£ / ti. Cr Yinueli raised the point that a motion of that kind, in which the voting of money was involved, required mi*, ice of motion. ike ALiyer. alter consideration, said j.,. da! not think it was necessary to oive nolice of motion, but in view d the fact that two councillors were ab,.oip. he v.ouhl give notice of motion. Cr. SuiterthuaiU' said lie was pleased 5.1,ai tiie Mayor had taken up that atiiimie, as the Council ha cl. received a letter from the South Canterbury Kinpi oyers’ Associations, asking that the matter be. IHd over until the annual meeting of die Association next mouth, and the Council was bound in common coin u-sv to comply widi that reque-t. (Jr. Anstoy said that he intended to call a mewing of the isoin h (V-oor-hili v Development League tor he laird Thursday in .)uiy, alien Air < iuaawould be invited to be present to state

his case before the country representatives, who would be present. Cr. Anstey also said there was a legal point which required to be settled —as to whether the Timaru Borough Council could legally contribute to the funds of the Canterbury Progress League. The Mayor said he would bring on his notice of motion at a meeting ot the Cc-uncil to be held next Monday night. Cr. Satterthwaite voiced a strong plea for the postponement pf the motion until after tiie meeting of the South Canterbury employers’ Association. The Mayor said lie could not see his way to do that. The object simply was to block the whole thing, and they might as well settle it without delay. As ;i matter of fact every councillor was prepared to vote that night on the question. Crs. Satterthwaite and Shirtcliff dissented from this. Cr. Yiunell said that before the Council voted .6715, or any other sum to the Canterbury Progress League, it must be in a position to tell the ratepayers that they would get value tor the exnenditurc, and tlio Council could not do that yet, for it had not the information. Cr. Irwin said that no outside organisation had a right to be consulted in this matter; the Conned should do its own business in its own "ay, as it thought best. ... . , .... Crs Satlerthwaile and bhirtcldf moved that a legal opinion be obtained as to whether Urn Council can legally vote money to ‘.no Canterbury Pro'■toss League. ° 'll,j s wak carried, Cr. Vmtiell dissentin'-' and stating that if they continued to°consiili i heir solicitors as often as ihev had done of late, they would have uo nmnov to vote to the Progress League, or to any other League. ' Tim Tekapo Development League wrote that it would claim a prior right vi anv public funds which might lie available; and the South Canterbury l-.iiiolov'-rs’ Association wrote asking that the matter of a grant to tire (Jantor bury Progress League be held over until tlic annual meeting oi tlio -Association next month.

These loiters were automatically dealt v. ith m the resolution quoted above.