Progress League Finances.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17113, 7 April 1921, Page 6

Progress League Finances.

The fact that the Progress League's expenditure during the year that has just closed exceeded its revenue, and that were it not for the handsome credit bajance brought forward from the previous year the League would have had to restrict its activities or run into debt, adds force to the treasurer's appeal for financial support from the commercial section of. the community. There is every reason why every local body and every business firm in the city and district should help to supply the League with funds for carrying on its work. The operations of the League touch the life of the community in every direction, and it would be a great pity if it were compelled to f relax its efforts for lack of money with which to pursue its objects. So long as it remains strictly non-political add labours for the welfare of the province as a whole and not for any particular section, it deserves all the help that can ■ be given it. So long as public works of great importance to the community are in progress, such as the Arthur's Pass tunnel, the Lake Coleridge works, and the carrying out of the Hiley Bcheme, so long will the League be nfeeded to watch the progress of each undertaking and to keep the, Department responsible for its completion up to the mark. And when these particular works are finished there will, no doubt, be others of equal importance that will require similar watchful supervision. The League has passed the stage at which it was an experiment ; it has now established itself effectively as possibly the most active and ussful organisation of its kind in the Dominion. The public has come to look to it for a lead in an emergency affecting the welfare of the district, and it has not yet been disappointed. This being so, it is regrettable to notice that borough councils,-as distinct from the City Council, contributed only £BO last year to the League's funds, and that business firms contributed nothing at all. unless subscriptions from some of them are included in the £SO received as special donations. The City Council unfortunately set the borough councils a bad example by reducing its subscription by one-half, but the smaller bodies would have shown a better perception of the League's value if they'had in turn set the City Council a good example by increasing their grants. As for the business firms, they should realise that one way of counteracting the effect of the present dull times is to support generously an organisation which is working -untiringly for . the good of Canterbury, and which only recognises obstacles in the way of the province's progress as difficulties to be overcome. If it were generally understood that donations given to thte League form a fighting fund against depression and slow development, we

believe that next year's balance-sheet would be much more satisfactory than is that for the past year.