The Hutt News THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1930. THE LOWER HUTT PROGRESS LEAGUE.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 6, 3 July 1930, Page 7

The Hutt News THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1930. THE LOWER HUTT PROGRESS LEAGUE.

Some few years ago, when the affairs of the Borough and district were considered by the resi,s§nts to be indeed a parlous Condition, a •number of those who had the interests of the Hutt well .' at heart n\etiat a gathering of resi- . dents and then was formed that aaery excellent and useful body; kiiown as the Hutt Progress Leatgue. Amongst those who took a; Ijwpmuient : part in its 'formation!' and subsequent .usefulness wereS many of the most prominent busi- X ?ness men residing here, but . iii finely eases having their chief interests centred in the; $2ity. ":C TJiese business men? able, t^rewdjand keen men too> 3iadl Skeen 4ai the past content to leave -$h&.business affairs of the place in JH^i^iGh. < they resided in the hands *ot '< saose whose ideas it must be . -«iiEaitted were liardly abreast of **hte rtimes. With the advent of thtf Progress League a fresh era; i^dawned^or the Lower Galley, and trthe effects of having, able business atvthe head of affairs was manifest. From that time ithe real progress of the Borough, may be said to have commenced -(in .earnest. The / phenomenal . growth and extension of the district quickly followed, and to-day iweMan justly claim pride of place .amongst the boroughs of the Dominion dtor growth, alike-in. area and rateable value. . And for this estate of things it will be generally admitted that a deep debt of gratitude is due to the founders- . mndforiginal members of the Leasgne u&der review. But as timeiwore on, and affairs seemed to be * going on so satisfactorily, public i^tnterest ihas seemed to wane, and» having• igiyen the League a fair *Bsai*t some of our best men, apthat they had ' «dk>ne part, turned their ac--iti^itißsinto other channelSj/the re-suit-being-that to-day little or nois heard of the doings of the League; and this »is dis--tiactly a pity, for it had done, and SB'Still capable of doing much good •work. The district has floated peacefully on the crest of -titee of prosperity and ad?v^ncsement, and possibly a spirit. -Jof-too placid "contentment has over our public men. -But " to maintain our proud position in *the3van of progress there must be those in charge . of, our ?affaii?s no signs of a laissez faire^ and this is where the operations of such a body as the Projgrefcs League are invaluable. In pclssii&le sense of the word tlieir activities be eonsideriesd sas in opposition to, or dictatorial to* the work of the Borough and"other local bodies. Oh tKe contrary the earlier efforts of Jtfce League were joyfully accepted . ,&nd recognised publicly by the ,then members of-Council. Not op.position: -to, but co-operation with,' fc the work of the Borough Council * vfSLS'pie League's watchword, and its operations were completely Consequently it is a , matter for sincere regret to dis■cover for the past three years oi* so that the League has apparently ceased to function, and so far as public action is concerned is apparently in a moribund condition, -And yet as is abundantly evident to any thinking man? there is still ample scope, for the activities of tke League; recent events haye^

jnade 'this quite clear that'there.: -has never been a time in the his-. .'" tory of the district when the whole hearted eo-ojjeration of the "best? brains amogst us was nidre'nece's-f eary/if we arc-to successfully cope: with t&c lmany and various proVblems now confronting us. And, S this is why we would most earn

estly advise a reseusitation of the;j at present quiescent Progress; League, and we call upon thosej former members whose fine workf did so much to make the 1 League the active and tiseful^feoidy it thenj was; to again iiirow themselyes? into the good work." We earnest-f ly hope that a meeting will becalled arid that even greater pub-J lie support than was originally? given will be accorded to the revival of what was indubitably onet of our most useful public bodies; There are so many problems fa*c-! ing the residents of our"Beauti-i ful Garden Suburb" that we can-r not have too earnest attd. brainy; men c6>operatjng one with the; other to discover the best methods of coping with such problems. And we fervently trust that ere long we may see: a new and strengthened Progress League, asociated with the Chamber of Commerce, and such other local Associations as may be interested,, all working in combination and goodwill to assist: the ratepayers^ representatives on the various local bodies in such matters as may call for action—notably the telephone difficulty and therquestion 6f artesian or surface water supply. Nothing could give us greater pleaisure than the ah-j nouncement of the meeting as above suggested and so far as the; •'Hiitt News' is concerned we.pro-! mise every possible assistance byj way of therfullest publicity. ]