Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPT 1st, 1920. LOCAL ACTIVITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPT Ist, 1920. LOCAL ACTIVITY.

•The local branch ,of the Canterbury Progress League has got into its stride, anti is evidently bent on carrying .op enthusiastically. What is needed now is a good backing by the public, numerically ;?;)d financially. There is the need for local activity £o urge requirements, because without g. ffph'fpfd agitation there is little attained. ‘jp ip all over fhe Dominion now, and tlie conflict in verging info * Nprtii Island versus South Island «# the larger centres clamouring f{>F lib eh' portion, of the public works expenditure it i» manifest that an isolated and separated district such as Westland cannot achieve nineli without continually pressing its claims. Its situation tends to result in the district Using Overlooked. This contingency coupled with the need for greater support led to the district allaying itself with the Gain terbuiry Progress League, and with that more influential backing something tangible should result, As an outcome of the late visit to South Westland, the local has determined to centrate on jtb,e .three principal uridges required pn the main south road to the Waiho Gorge. -These <%qe bridges have been promised if n,ot authorised, feut expenditure moves slowly unless Departments are spurred to action. So it becomes necessary to take up actively the three bridges, namely Little Waitahe, Little Wanganui and Whitengi river, bridges. These constructed and there, will be ,g*eaf impetus to vehicle traffic of all kinds south- Apart from the increased number of visitors jt° he ean'ied into the district, freight on transport will be materially reduced,

! • -1 will bc\)f ’the greatest import- ' ante i« the southern settlers. With sea traffic disorganised as at present the south people are being heavily penalised in regard to overland freight and the building of the bridges in question will bo a great boon to the families in the south. The local branch of the Progress League is taking up also several minor matters affecting the amenities of life in the south. From the range of its business transacted at this week’s meeting the League should prove of great influence in the general betterment of conditions. The League is a free lance, as it were, and with its roving conditions is capable of being a useful aid to the general prosperity of the district.* (Everything cannot he acts rwnplished at once, but the League can assist in focussing action on lending requirements of the times and in that way assist the progress of the district very materially. 'There is the charge levelled against the Coast .people that, they are affected with the microbe of indifference—thev are satisfied with the old conditions and do not worry about, an improving chance. This we take it from the activities of the Progress League is not sustained in fact, and that the people a.re in mind as anxious to advance ns any other part of the Dominion. If the public support the- League as it should, and afford the metical heln which is indisnensible. the League should do important work for the advancement of the district as a ■ wEole.

It is evident that a large amount of the work of the Progress League must bo centred in Southern Westland. In that quarter lies the greater part of the undeveloped areas of Westland. There, too, are there -greater openings for the expansion of settlement over the long tracts of pastoral country. To ensure real progress there must be added population. The fact of the expenditure of a large amount of public works money will not in itself create an atmo- j .sphere of progress, hut if the works | undertaken are of such a nature as to , open up the country, afford facilities j for getting about under improved eondi- j tions, and adding to the amenities of j life in the remoter places of the district, more and more population will be attracted to the country and settlement will grow apace. Just at present there are three dairy factories in South Westland. At the outset they did not begin with any flourishing prospects, but. they have gone ahead successfully. There ‘s no doubt that the south country could maintain many additional factories. Given improved and regular means of access, the success of the existing factories should encourage other localities to go in for dairying, and by closer settlement build up the prosperity of the neighborhood. It is not so very long ago, when Inter-Wanganui was a large stock run, now it‘carries a dairying population, and is a thriving centre from every point of view. If industry can lie expanded in this way all the way south it will make a marked difference to the prosperity of Westland and the progress of the district will become a very marked reality.

A large section of political opinion in the United States is opposed to the League of Nations. The League of Nations was promoted as a means to end war, yet there are those in America who would go to Avar to prevent the nation joining the League and so securing the Avorld’s peace. And yet, the League of Nations, idea had the fullest endorsement of President Wilson Avhen representing America at the Peace Confereice/ It seems 'Ho he still a mad world, my masters. Meantime the struggle goes on to establish the League of Nations as a. means to get out of the Avar atmosphere. But just as the nations Avould not trust each other before the Great War, so now despite their alliance and inter-depen-dence one upon another to carry on a great Avar, they Avill not trust each other Avhen so much more is to lie gained by maintaining permanent peace. Peace of course, cannot be ensured Avithout a show of authority to impose it. It Avere best for all concerned that this shoAv of force should come from a neuifaj Authority such -is iko League of Nations rather than from an individual nation seeking aggrandisement. The League of Nations, if the gpraps of paper’on which its constitution is written is respected, can be of great, power and service to the world. Like any other authority fo exercise potency, it must have force behind ip. And it Avere better that that power to .effect the peace of tile world, should bp Avjelded by aa> association of great nations, rather than the exercise qf authority by a single Great Pp>yer. TJxe cage for tjip League of Nations stands so strong |h ppinjjjplp that |t is surprising indeed that flip Groat. Ppw.ers do not combine to put the principle into practice.