RAILWAY SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19850, 20 January 1920, Page 6

RAILWAY SERVICE.

—* THE INQUIRY BOARD.

[Pm; Pkess Assoct/.nos.] WELLINGTON. January 20. Tho Minister of Railways stated today that he had not received tin official report from the Railway Service Inquiry Board regarding the withdrawal' of the A.S.R.S. representatives upon the announcement that the inquiry was nob to bo public. "Tho idea of the Department in drawing up the order of reference,” he'said, “was to simplify and shorten the proceedings. So far as I know, if there is any desire for the proceedings to ho imported, there will ho no objection on the part of either the Department or myself. In the meantime, the official report has not reached me. but so far as I know there will bo no difficulty either way.”

The Canterbury Progress League has presented to the Prime Minister and to every member of Parliament, a neat pocket-book for memoranda, handsomely bound in leather, and bearing in gold letters the words: “Canterbury’s Urgent Needs, 19*20, with the compliments of the Canterbury Progress League.” In fact, there is a printed page, Retting forth “a few of tho most pressing and outstanding needs of Canterbury which renuiro the active ami united support of members of Parliament.” Tho needs are:—(l) The speedy completion of the East and West Const railway; (2) tho extension throughout the country districts of the hydro-electrical scheme; (.'}) improved communication with our shipping. so as to remove the present causes ofcompiaint in the working yf this Clvri'ld-i church-Lyitelton railway service: (4) more land to be thrown open in Canterbury for the settlement of returned soldiers, and others; (5) improved railway, postal and telephone service throughout the districts; (6) good roads and a more equitable system of financing the same; (7) the establishment of « first-class .Department of Industries and Commerce, in order to giv P f u l{ ‘toeouragcinent, to our secondary imlusI r:cs; (8) making known bv every conceivable means viic aHracrions of (■'•ini;'r!n;,y a „!mv residence and as a i.idd .nr m-nviiv.