PROGRESS LEAGUE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18414, 22 June 1925, Page 14

PROGRESS LEAGUE.

_♦ ANNUAL REPORT. The seventh annual report of the Canterbury Progress League states: There has been no lack of scope for the activities of the League during the period' under review. As in previous years th© Loagu<? lias held. 3» V'watch'ing brief" in t.he Canterbury interest in reference to such matters as the AVcst Coast llailway, the Lake Coleridge Electrical Supply, -and the Port Railway, matters of first-class importance, to which a good, deal of attention has had to be paid. In each of these matters tli<s goal of the League lias set itself lias yet to be attained. The West Coast Hallway is not yet carrying aa large an amount of traffic as it should; the electrical supply of the province is not yet assured, and the Port Lino is still very much in tho condition in which the contractors for the tunnel left it, more than half a century ago. The means by which the League attempts to hasten progress in these affairs must be well known to everyone in this province, and so need no recapitulation here. New ground has been broken in many directions, perhaps the chief of these being tho investigation by a special committee of the rival claims of Nelson and Marlborough concerning tho route of the Main Trunk Railway in the northern part- of this island. It was, perhaps, unfortunate that the naturo of its commission made it imperative that the committee, in acting as arbiter between the two neighbour provinces, should have to arrive at a decision displeasing to one of them, but the path of progress lay in this instance through disputed ground. The alternative to taking sides was inaction, and inaction in the matter of completing the Dominion's railway system was not considered compatible with the objects or policy ,of the League. A matter of peculiar interest to Canterbury, because it lies n.ear the root of the economic disabilities : of the South Inland —the question of immigration—has been considered by the executive during the year. The matter is one to which Canterbury might well devote concentrated study, since many of the disadvantages of this province, Uo compared with North Island provinces, hinge upon the fact that there is a steady and. well-defined drift of population from South to North. The subject is one that will have tho executive'.s earnest attention .during the ensuing year. The audited balance-sheet and statement of revenue disclose a fairly satisfactory position, inasmuch as whilst the expenditure exceeded the income in 1923-1924, this year's receipts have been foundsufficient to cover ordinary expenditure the actual sum collected from local bodies during the financial year being somewhat larger than in the prevouos year. This occurs through some Council's payments being made in April." Tee revenue account shows income, £1677 14s Id, and expenditure £159-3 17s 2d, leaving a credit balance of £Bl 16s lid.