PROGRESS LEAGUE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1920, Page 2

PROGRESS LEAGUE

CHRISTCHUKCH, Deo. 15. The quarterly meeting of the Council of the Canterbury Progress League was ■held yesterday, Mr A. G. Henderson

in the cliair. The chairman said that since the previous meeting the league had continued to carry, on its- work, on the whole successfully. Much work had been done in connection with the Lake Coleridge power scheme. The league’s policy was to urgo the Government to develop the scheme to its greatest capacity. Up to the present time the work had been seriously delayed by shortage of materiol, but the outlook now was reported to be much better than it was a few monhs ago. A sum of about threequarters of a million had been voted for an extension of the scheme. That was due to the efforts of the league, and the league should see that the money was spent. A large sum voted for very necessary work had lieen held up year after year, until the patience of the community was well-nigh exhausted. 1 Next month, it was hoped, a visit woull | lie made to the lake with the Minister !

! for Public Works; it would be made a [ demonstration tour to prove that Can- ! terbury needed more power from the lake. Efforts had been made to induce the Government to improve railway facilities between Christchurch and Lyttelton. Certain promises .hod been given, and improvements to the goods sheds should be made by the middle of next month. With the erection of the new shed a good deal of relief should be afforded. Delays at the Arthur’s Pass tunnel had claimed the council’s attention, He understood that the PublicWorks Department was arranging for supplies of material. The establishment of a School of Forestry was a question that had reeieved the council’s attention. The position in that respect as far as it went, was satisfactory, j Money had uot been forthcoming for a subscidy for country libraries, although promises bad been made in that direction. The league now was in close touch with the West Coast League, and Canterbury and the Coast were once again linked up. The special subject for discussion by the council was a scheme for rural education. The results of preliminary inquiries by a committee

would be placed before members. It was fitting that Canterbury, which had led New Zealand ill regard to the educational. system, should give a lead in rural education.