JOINING UP.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 25 June 1924, Page 8

JOINING UP.

PROGRESS LEAGUE AND SOUTH CANTERBURY. ACTION BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

At the meeting of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last evening, the president, Mr F. C. IVlay, moved the following resolution: “That this Chamber favours the project of South Canterbury joining up with the Canterbury " Progress League.” \ In moving the resolution, Mr May said he was firmly convinced that the Chamber of Commerce should definitely favour the district joining up with the Canterbury Progress League, and that it would prove a step in the right direction. He felt that Mr Climie’s address to the Borough Council must have convinced even the mo.st biassed that the northern body had no ulterior motive in working for a linking up of both ends of the province. In his opinion South Canterbury would gain by linking up with a live, progressive body. If the Tekapo scheme was found upon investigation to be all that its supporters were sanguine of, the Progress League was in duty bound to support it in every possible way. Mr J. Anstey said he intended calling an annual meeting of the South Canterbury Development League on the third Thursday in July, at which be would ask Mr Climie to be present. Mr Anstey said he was opposed to joining up with North Canterbury, as he felt that if this was done, South Canterbury would lose its identity. He wished the Chamber to .postpone action until after the meeting of the South Canterbury Development League. Mr R. B. Bell said he would support the resolution, because he felt that primarily it concerned the Borough of Timaru, and he did not think it was necessary to discuss the attitude of other local bodies at that stage. It seemed that, with all due deference to the gentlemen who had given time and service to the South Canterbury Development League, it was no longer a live body, and it would be a very difficult matter for Mr Anstey or anyone else to resuscitate it. The Canterbury Progress League had been in active existence for a number of years, and had been very successful. If South Canterbury joined up, he thought that in the coming year the League would make special efforts for the benefit of this district. Mr T. R. Mackay supported Mr Bell’s remarks. Mr A. M. H. Shirtcliff hoped that the chairman would not force the matter to a conclusion that evening, as there would be three debates on the question in the near future, and lie wished to hear all sides of the question before committing himself to a vote. , ’

Mr R. D. Halstead said that he paw no reason why, given good administration in South Canterbury, the League-should not he as great a success as it had been in the north, Mr C. G. Curtis said he took it that the chairman had intended the Chamber of Commerce to give other local bodies a lead in the matter, arid if it were postponed this purpose would be frustrated. They all knew their own opinions, and there was no reason why they should not take a vote and give other bodies a lead. Mr J. Meehan also spoke in favour of the motion. The resolution was then put and carried without a dissentient voice.