Useful Service Performed By Westland Progress League

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1948, Page 2

Useful Service Performed By Westland Progress League

They could again claim to have performed another year’s useful service to the Westland district, said Mr W. D. Taylor, president, in his report to be submitted to the annual meeting of the Westland Progress League next Wednesday. He added that although a drive for a larger membership was undertaken last year when 150 copies of the third annual report were circulated to prospective private and business mem, bers, the results were by no means encouraging. Only five private and eight business members joined . the organisation. It had been pointed out on previous occasions that the weight of any organisation was gauged by its membership roll, and although it would be noted that many residents and business firms were already members of the League, there were many more who might with district as well as personal advantage be enrolled. It was mtended to review the approaches made last year, and it was hoped that the response would be more favourable. With the loss of eleven members who had either removed from the district or retired from business, the increase in membership for the year w r as only three, leaving a total, at present, of 287. This comprised 250 business and private members, 30 organisations and associations and seven local bodies. Mr Taylor said the League had experienced another busy year, while the achievements in the past year could not be regarded as spectacular, it had to be borne in mind that a considerable amount of thorough and painstaking work and investigation preceded any action on any proposal submitted to the League, and thereafter more time and effort was involved in presenting and pressing representations. In many cases it was only after prolonged correspondence and pressure that results were achieved, and, if the comment on some 1 matters handled by the League was brief, it my no means followed that the result was achieved easily and without considerable expenditure of time and effort.

MATTERS COMPLETED He added that many matters had been successfully completed during the year, and action was still being taken in regard to many more. These included efforts to induce the Government to establish a test farm by bringing in an area of land for that purpose. The Lands Department now had this proposal under consideration. The establishment of such a farm should provide a much-needed fillip to West Coast land settlement. The Government had changed the proposed location of the new Greymouth police station to Guinness Street, and the necessary land had been acquired. Plans of the new buildings were now in preparation and it was hoped that tenders would shortly be called. The Greymouth airfield had been brought into use again for passenger work .following the suspension of the present Hokitika aerodrome. The Government had been urged to provide aeroplanes capable of using the Greymouth aerodrome for a feeder service to the main route service. Improvements have been urged in railway refreshment rooms at Otira and Springfield, and there was reason to believe that the latter would shortly be altered to enable speedier and better refreshment service to be given rail passengers. The League was continuing its pressure to have a Resident Magistrate appointed for the West Coast circuit, and local and other bodies had been asked to support the League’s claim.

AFFORESTATION PROGRESS Dealing with afforestation, Mr Taylor said that splendid progress was made at the State Forest nursery at Totara Flat during the past twelve months in the raising of seedlings for ultimate planting in areas mentioned in last year’s report. From results obtained by the Service since the nursery was established, it could be said that the location could not have been bettered. The labour force engaged had remained fairly constant, but plans were in train for the erection of 14 huts to accommodate the personnel of 20 aimed at. During the year a good deal of silvicultural work had been carried out in the Granville plantation with beeches. In order to assist in the regeneration of this species thinning had been made. The League, as well as the State Forest Department was gratified with the achievements attained at Totara Flat and Granville. The future timber prosperity of the district lay in the re-genera-tion of beeches, and with the continuation and extension of the work being done in the localities mentioned it seemed safe to forecast that the Chief Inspector’s plan would ulfmiately give the results he indicated to the League. Similar work to that at Totara Flat, said Mr Taylor, was performed at the nursery at Reefton. Here it was found necessary to extend the area under cultivation. It was understood that further land had been acquired for this purpose. In the period under review some 80 to 100 acres were planted in the Reefton district with satisfactory results. At the present time 17 employees were attached to the Service, but the Department wished to increase this number and would do so when labour become available.

Mr Taylor paid a tribute to the Ministers of the Crown, Mr. J. B. Kent, M.P., Government Departmental officers in this district and in We’lington for assistance. To all other local bodies who had supported the League, financially, or in its representations, were thanked. He expressed his sincere thanks for the loyal support accorded him during his four years’ tenure of office of President. All meetings had been conducted in a spirit of harmony, and even when divergent views had been expressed this had alwavs been without bitterness. He was broud to say that at no meeting of the League or its Council had there been a single instance of a “scene.”

“Of our energetic and enthusiastic secretary (Mr J. Saunders) I cannot sneak too highly,” said Mr Taylor. “Only those who are closely associated with a 1! the varied activities of the League know what a vast amount of work is thrown upon our and Mr Saunders has car"!ed out bis many duties with credit himself and to the prestige of the League.” ;