PROGRESS DELEGATION

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1922, Page 3

PROGRESS DELEGATION

VISIT TO CANTERBURY. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug 7. The Progress delegation had a good trip through to Christchurch on Saturday. Clements motor car made a fair run to Otira, where after a short stay, tbe party boarded tunnel trucks and bad a smart run through Arthurs’ Pass tunnel. The time occupied in the through run was forty minutes. an hour ahead of the coaches. On arrival at Christchurch station, the visitors were met by Messrs MtAlpine, Henderson, Marriner, HolI ■ m;1 an I C liniio, and motored to their hotels, in the evening they were the guests at .the Savage Club, where a line programme of music and addresses, as well as a picture display of the summit, supplied a pleasant evening. Next morning the party motored to j 11,■miner Springs, a ninety mile journey, being done in three hours. At Hanmer tbe party were hospitably entertained and shown over tbe hospital grounds and principal buildings, and j later visited tbe forestry nursery and ( saw something of the expanse of forest plantation, which extended for miles. They motored back to Christchurch in the evening. To-day the party are visiting Coleridge Electric Power Plant. The “Lyttelton Times” to-day has the. following:—“Delegates from West land Progress Longue and similar organisations on the Coast, who are visiting Christchurch at the invitation of the Canterbury Progress Dengue arrived on Saturday night. The delegation consists of Messrs D. ,T. Evans (Chairman Westland Progress League), W. J. Butler. (Chalirmarf Westland Power Board), T. AY. Duff, (Member of AA’estland County Coun-

oil), .T. .T. Mclntosh (Arombcr Westland Process League). W. H. Chinn (Member Westland County Couneil). C. S. Dnlgliesh (Government Fields’ Isspeetor). .Tesse Steer (Chairman Oreyinouth Harbour Hoard, M Fogarty (Secretary Greymouth Chnmhcr of Commerce). T. "R. Coates (Greymouth), I. Patterson and Morris (Reefton), and Craig (Westport). By the courtesy of the Public Works officials the delegates journeyed through Otira Tunnel on Saturday. Mr Evans said the trip occupied forty minutes compared with two hours, the time the coaehe s took to come through the Gorge. r l'he air was puiet mild and temperate in the tunnel, in marked contrast to the temperature outside. Work in Ihe tunnel was proceeding satisfactorily, and a, largo number of men were busily emp'oyed. However, there was still a l"t: tr he done and there was no great ce’tn’nty of the tunnel being open f " ,)»s----settger traffic before next Last.-u. On Saturday night the delegates were entertained hv the Savage Club and yesterday the majority worn, on a trip to Haunter springs. I lie lull to II tinnier occupied about three hours and the delegates were greatly ’ impressed by the country through wiii-n they passed. From win. they saw. thev are satisfied thif ’ o;t!i 1 anterImrv has a great future before it. At. H anther they visited Queen Mary Hospital. Most of the delegates have taken an interest in the welfare of returned men, and fully appreciated what is being done at Queen Mary’s hospital. They were also struck by I the good work being done on behalf of returned soldiers at Haunter h\ the Y.M.C. i. Coming from the hush clad I West Coast the delegates were espee-j iallv interested in the Forestry Department’s nursery at Hanllier. to I which they paid a brief visit. As a result of the inspection they were satisfied good work is being done at Hanmcr "in the interests of afforestation, and they learnt that trees were being sent from the nursery nil over Xou j Zealand, even to the West Coast. They expressed a hope that at no distant date a nursery would he established on the West Coast to furnish trees for afforestation of areas being cut. out. I

At the end of the trip the delegates expressed their indebtedness to Canterbury Progress League lor the enjoyable and instructive outing provided.