The Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1921. MORE PROGRESS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16454, 16 June 1921, Page 6

The Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1921. MORE PROGRESS.

Tho annual meeting c f the Canterbury Progress League yesterday was an interesting occasion. The attendance of delegates showed that the League ha.s retained the confidence of the contributing bodies, and tho spirit of tli© meeting suggested that there will bo no difficulty in regard to finance. Mr J. A. Flesher stated that the League required £I4OO a year to carry on, and that is not too much to expect from tho influential bodies which are benefited by the activities of this iivo organisation. The local bodies, in view of the rather difficult financial position, may not feel inclined to give extra amounts, but they should at least maintain the standards which they originally set themselves. It would be false economy to cut off a service which is of provincial importance for the lack of a few pounds. The delegates showed that the work of the League waß heartily appreciated both in town and country, and there is no reason wliy a wider field should not be covered. The maintenance of cordial relations betwen the League and members of Parliament is of the utmost importance. There should be no excuse for antagonism, and there are many reasons for co-operation and unity. The little breeze raised by the Port Christchurch League should pass over without causing a wreck. The advocates of Port Christchurch, when they consider tho position calmly, will realise that the Progress League was not formed for tho purpose of taking up a cause which would simply have made it an extension of the Port Christchureh League. The latter body should proceed with its work, and if it can convince Canterbury that Port Christchurch is a necessary and progressive development it will reap all the credit for itself. The Progress League is concerned mainly with matters of immediate moment and not with questions or projects which may not blossom into accomplished facts for many years. The record of the past year shows that very useful service lias been rendered, and that the public is now reajiing the benefit- The Progress League has put its shoulder to a, number of wheels, which have revolved the faster becauso of its aid. The field of work for tho future is a wide one, but there are two questions which loom up prominently—the Lake Coleridge hydro-electricity extension, and tho completion of the Otira tunnel. The League, by applying judicious pressure, has exercised a definite influence in expediting work on both these big public undertakings. The Lake Coleridge scheme is capable of enormous expansion, and the programme outlined by the chairman for the coming year is at once reasonable and capable of realisation. Tho permanent diversion of the Harper is essential to place the supply beyond the possibility of failure, and to provido the extra water which will be required when the scheme ia enlarged. There is an ever-growing demand for power from mid-Canter-bury and Timaru, and the Progress League may render valuable aid to districts which for the present are beyond the sphere of its active influence. In regard to the Otira tunnel, the experience of the past year has shown that this great undertaking has been assisted by the co-operation of tho League. The lining of the tunnel and the laying of the rails will soon be completed, and the electrification will complete the job. There are indications that the electrification will be delayed, partly through unforeseen circumstances, but it is unfortunate that the Government did not place its contracts earlier. The original idea was that the electrification would be completed at tho same time as the laying of tho rails, but that ia now not oven a remote possibility. The League will no doubt find that it can assist in still further expediting the work, so that tho tunnel will bo open for traffic at the earliest possible moment.