OTAGO EXPANSION LEAGUE

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 36

OTAGO EXPANSION LEAGUE

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Executive Committee of the Otago Expansion League met on Tuesday evening. Those present were: Mr G. J. Errmgton (presiding), 11. M’Dowell J - In B lls Wright, J. Beattie, G. W. C. Macdonald, E. Tamblyn, R. Harndge, F. Reid, and Ivo Carr. The secretary of the Bull Creek Amenities Society wrote describing the voluntary labour being put upon the road eonnecting that seaside resort with the county highways, and bespoke the interest of the league, especially from a financial point of view.—The executive expressed its pleasure at the self-reliance of the settlers and summer residents in thus boldly tackling a difficult task, but regretted that the present state of its financial barometer precluded it from granting material assistance. The information that the survey party which was sent out by the Minister of 1 üblic Works (Mr W. B. Taverner) had returned to its task of laying out the line of the road over the Haast, was received with satisfaction. Correspondence from the town clerk regarding the City Council’s offer to take over the scenic reserves on the hills surrounding the city, and the conditions regarding the preservation of the native bush thereon, was considered. After a full discussion, in which all matters pertaining to the subject, especially the objections urged against the project, had been canvassed, the executive resolved to support the city’s claim, and to write to the Commissioner of Crown Lands accordingly. An invitation received from the New Zealand. Tourist League to meet kindred bodies in Wellington in conference on the best methods to be adopted for the further increase of the tourist traffic n New Zealand, was accepted, and the secretary was appointed to attend the conference and present the case for the inclusion of the Otago scenic beauties in the itineraries and publications. In this connection, the chairman read flattering extracts from a letter received by Miss Anderson, of Macandrew Bay, from the Countess of Jersey on literature supplied by rrl he ea & ue an d forwarded to London. The proposed conference on unemployment called by the Otago Hospital Board was discussed, several suggestions being made for the league delegates, Messrs G J. Errmgton and G. W. C. Macdonald to put forward. A general feeling of dissatisfaction with the present methods ot unemployment relief was stressed, and the hope expressed that some sane, efficient, and reproductive method of expenditure would be evolved by the conference. The plans of the proposed irrigation scheme for the Upper Clutha Valley were shown, and the sub-committee which will go into the matter promised a report at an early date. The proposal put forward by the league over two years ago in order that a better tur-bearing opossum than the brown variety should be secured and liberated in the western forests, was again broached by a resident of the West Coast. The reason given for the refusal of permission on the previous occasion—viz., that the opossum was believed to be inimical to bird life—was evidently still held by somebody in authority, although the lay mind held the opossum to be a strict vegetarian. Experiments were to be conducted; and further research made: but no definite pronouncement had yet ’ been received. It was finally resolved to communicate with the Otago Acclimatisation society requesting its opinion and advice