CONFERENCE OF CANTER BURY MEMBERS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11500, 5 February 1903, Page 2

CONFERENCE OF CANTER BURY MEMBERS.

THE BUSINESS DONE. The following attended, » conference t>l Canterbury members of tie House of Representatives, caled to discuss the question of land settlement in this district, and held ia the City . Council, library yesterday; —Sir William Steward, Messrs T. E. Tatflor, H. G. Eli, T. H. Davey, D. Buddo, W. W. Tanner, (i. Wfcty, G. Laurenson, C. Lewis, F. R. Flatmaii, and C. A. (i Hardy. Sir William Stewird was appointed to the choir. Mr T*aylor, in response to the chairman's query whether proceeilings should commence, •aid that the meeting was really of an informal nature, and tiie busineee had y*t to be determined. In that case he did not think that they shouM aek the reporters to remain. They had tfiuch to say Of public interest, but in the indefinite nature of the discussion he thought it better that a re. port should be supplied to the Press. The Chairman a#fa>d what the views oi tha others present w<.Te. Messrs KR and T timer expressed views similar to those expressed by Mr Taylor, whilst Mr Buddo said he saw no reason why tlu proceedings should not bo open to the Pie.ss. Mr Lewie said that his experience ol tilings of the sort ivas rhat wereey and privacy fhmila be nought after until plana wre mrttiiml. He regretted the publicity that had bwn given to the conference, ant) said tuey would have been very much better if they had gone quietly to work, and formulated their plans. After arriving at (UhniU; eoneluMon*, it would have been linn- enough to take the public into their confidence. Rβ hoped they would decide on one thins; or the other,'and if eectecy were decided on, he hoped that each member woiiM not, after tlie meeting, rush off tn the nearest reporter, iind take the onnor(unity to exa't himself in tlm matter. His imprcssm,, w;w that tecrecv should be maintained. Mr Hwrly »H it n-ould be a great mistake to let the public know of the proceedings iintjl i-nnK-thing definite had been don?. It would K> quite tiihe enough to take th* X™ W nS^ irro,Uidww,rhe ? thrir Pl«The meeting decided to exclude the Tress repr«oiUMv«, f who then witbdnw. Subsequently Mr T. K. Tayl or introduced the busmnu of the mating, utatine that there, were matters of importance t<, Canterbury which could be considered by its members, irrespective of general politic*, and apoke of the nnpnt need of further development of the fend settJement poiicv; the anomaljM existing in th« railwsr rates and charges, and the desirability of utilis, ing the water pow« r of the rivem for penerating electrical power. At this point A?,r A. K. G. Rhodes, Chairman Canterbury College Board of Governors, attended, and brought under the notice of the conference the fact that two reeem* regarding which promise* had been made by tho Government find not yet been vested in the Board. It was unanimously resolwd that those present agree to (support Mr Lewi* in an effort to get the block in question rested m the Bfcard, if after .jnvwit.jgation the circunv stanoee warrant eiwh action. Mr lthodej) thanked the meeting and withdrew. After somo discussion it was decided to appoint eub-commdtteea to deal each with a specific subject, to report at a meeting to be held tha* day four weeks. Messrs Taylor, Ltmrenson, Efevey, Hardy, and Lewie were appointed a sub-commdttee to report on the general question of railway raitcs, facilities, and anomalies in Canterbury; Messrs ffl, Witty, Rutherford, Lewis, and: Lnurenton to report on general question of land reWlemont in the province; and Mesire Taylor, Tanner, nnd Hardy a euib-committ«* to report on thrf question of eftouting «ip«»t advice regarding the utilisation of the water power of the- Canterbury rivets. The Chairman called attention to th* desirability of wubdjvidinf certain Canterbury College reserm in South Canterbury which wero that morning advertised for letting by lease, a»d after come discussion it was agreed that th<> Chairman, supported by Messrs Tanjier and Fktenan, should wait on the Board at fbs meeting that afternoon and lay the 6ugg<>«Aion before, its members. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to tho City Cbuncil-