PROGRESS LEAGUE CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1927, Page 2

PROGRESS LEAGUE CONFERENCE

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, June 21

To-day at 10.50 tlio South Island Progress Leagues’ Conference opened in the Chamber of Commerce Hall. The Leagues represented and their delegates are: Southland League—Messrs Hinchey, Alexander, I)iek and another. Otago Expansion League--Messrs Macdonald. Tatnhlyn and Steel. Canterbury Progress League—Messrs Strachan. G. M. Hall. Ee slier. AlcAlpine and Climie. 'Westland Committee—l)r Teichellnan.n and Mr Morris.

Nelson Provincial Progress LeagueAir Moffat t. Marlborough Progress Longue —• Messrs Coulter and Churchward. South Marlborough Progress League Messrs llarle, Parsons and Scott. Grey Progress League- Messrs Green:slade and Randle. To-morrow the delegates visit Aknrnn and on Thursday they go to Lake Coleridge. Mr ,1. A. Flesher (Canterbury) moved: “That in the opinion of this Conference, the apportionment between the North and South Islands of the expenditure from the revenue fund of the Alain Highways Board should ho proportionate to the number of motor vehicles registered in each is’and. and the Act should ha amended, making it mandatory on the Board to apportion the moneys accordingly.” He said the object of the remit was to prevent tlio Board from taking money from the South Island and spending it on roads in the North. This remit wins carried.

An Otago remit, that a policy for the standardised construction or reconstruction of the main highways lie evolved, and that a. special road loan fie raised to carry such construction and reconstruction into effect, the interest on such loan to he guaranteed from motor taxation, and to hear not less than three per cent, sinking fund. The remit was carried.

The Conference decided to request the Government that the tyre tax and the annual motor-ear tax fie abolished, and that a tax on motor spirit be imposed. The mover of this remit, said the present road tax and tyro Hr were inoquitahlSe, especially to the farmer who used his car only on m ionally. and who. therefore got .little value for the road tax. In the same way his tyres never wore out. hut rotted out. A petrol tax of 3d per gallon would return £•">(>').22o per annum, whereas last year the tyre tax had yielded Cl 10,531. and the motorcar tax £228.000. In a subsequent discussion, it was suggested that means were required of granting exemptions to fishermen using motor launches, to farmers using tractors and milking plants, and to others using petrol for stationary

power plants. The remit was carried. The annual controversy over the respective merits of the AVest and EastCoast railway routes led to a three hours’ discussion at the Conference of the Soul'll Island Progress Leagues to-days. Air R. F. Coulter, Alarlbordugh) moved: “That this Conference emphasises the importance of completing the New Zealand Alain. Trunk Railway in the South Island between Parnassus and Wharanui, and that, in the meantime, the survey of tills gap fie accelerated.”

I lie remit was supported fiv the Marlborough delegates-, hut it was opposed strongly liy the Nelson delegates. who urged the completion of the AVest Coast gap. The Chairman suggested that the alternative proposals he discussed in committee, and this was done for two hours. The Alarlhorough remit wa.s then carried. 1 he billowing Nelson remit was confirmed. “That- the railway from Stanhope to Alurchison fie completed as speedily as possible.”