UNITY AIMED AT.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1920, Page 7

UNITY AIMED AT.

TO DEVELOP TARANAKI. PROGRESSIVE LEAGUE FORMED. ALL PUBLIC BODIES REPRESENTED. An important conference of- delegates, representing local bodies, dairy factories, and other organisations, was held in the Municipal Cljambers, Stratford, yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of discussing the question of forming a Progressive League in Taranaki. The Mayor of Stratford (Mr. J. W. McMillan) was voted to the chair.

The following delegates were present: Messrs. R. Piggott (Clifton County), T. C. List (Taranaki Chamber of Commerce), P. E. Stainton (Taranaki Chamber of Commerce), Newton King (New Plymouth Harbor Board), J. MeCluggage (Harbor Board), 6. Fraser, D. K. Morrison, C. J. Belcher (Eltham County Council), T. Blair (Ngaere Dairy Co.), t. J. Bridger (Eltham Chamber of Commerce), C. H. White (Eltham Borough Council), T. R. Anderson (Mangatoki Dairy Co.), J. O'Neill (Stratford County Council), F. T. Bellringer and W. F. Short (New Plymouth Borough Council), C. D. Sole (Stratford Hospital Board), A. Corkill (Inglewood County Council), 0. Hawken, M.P., R. Masters, M.P., W. T. Jennings, M.P., W. D. Powdrell, M.P., S G. Smith M.P., E. Dixon (Hawera Borough Council), T. C. Gormley (Hawera Borough Council), J. 6. Osborne (Hawera Chamber of Commerce), A. Belcher (Pembroke Road), C. E. Betts and L. Wickham (Kaponga Town Board), V. Harkness (Tariki Dairy Co.), R. H. Cameron (Stratford Borough Council), C. B. Walsh and E. H. Young (Stratford Railway League), A. N. Christie and J. .T. Mellon (Manaia Town Board), T. A. Bridge and J. F. Stevenson (Waimilte West County Council), and T. H. Penn. The chairman extended a hearty Welcome to the delegates, and remarked tliat Stratford felt very proud of such a representative gathering in the town. The idea of forming a League first emanated from Mr. W. P. Kirkwood, chairman of the Railway League, and it was taken up by the Taranaki members of Parliament,- who recognised the necessity for unity throughout the province to push forward worK which was required. Lack of unity in the past had hindered, the progress of the province, and now that the members of Parliament had given auch a good lead, the province should back them up. He asked the delegates to think of Taranaki first and all the time, and, if they did that, it would be a red letter day for the province.

Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., moved that those present form a Taranaki Progressive League. It was unnecessary for lim to state the reasons why Taranaki should have a League, except to say that throughout New Zealand they had such leagues, and Taranaki should not be left behind. Also, it was only right that Taranaki members of Parliament should get a lead from the League, and to be informed of the desires and wishes of the electors. He had great pleasure in moving that a Progressive League be formed for the provincial district of Taranaki.

Mr. 0. Hawken, M.P., seconded the motion, and stated thfet Taranaki should put forward its views as strongly as possible, and that the people should back up the members of Parliament in regard to provincial affairs. The motion was carried unanimously, without further discussion.

On the motion of the chairman, it was decided that the League be known as the Taranaki Progressive League. OFFICERS ELECTED. The conference decided that membership be open to County Councils, Borough Councils, Town Boards, Farmers' Co-operative Associations, Chambers of Commerce, Farmers' Union, Railway League, hospital Boards, Meat Companies, and Tourist Leagues. The executive was empowered to accept other organised bodies into membership. Mr. Hawken moved that a permanent executive committee of fifteen members be elected, to take office straight away. Mr. C. D. Sole seconded.

Mr. Masters suggested that before electing the committee the election of officers should be proceeded with. This suggestion was adopted, and the following officers were elected: —President, Mr. J. W. McMillan (Mayor of Stratford), vice-presidents, Messrs. Newton King (chairman of' New Plymouth Harbor Board), E. Dixon (Mayor of Hawera), and W. P. Kirkwood (chairman of the Stratford Railway League). The following executive was elected:— Messrs. E. P. Webster (Taranaki Chamber of Commerce), T. McPhillips (Waimate West County Council), A. Morton (National Dairy Association), J. Clarke (New Plymouth Borough Council), W. R. Wright (Egmont County), J. B. Murdoch (Hawera County Coundil), J. Belcher (Eltham County Council), R. H Piggott (Clifton County Council), J.'CiSn'nett (Taranaki County Council), A. Corkill (Inglewood County Council), J. B. Richards (Stratford Chamber of Commerce), E. Walter (Stratford County Council),T. A. Bridge (Kaupokonui Dairy Company), and the chairmen of the Whangamomona and Ohura County Councils. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

The chairman moved the following resolution: "That in the opinion of this meeting the first work to be put through, on behalf of the Taranaki provincial district, is the rapid completion of the Stratford-Okahukura railway." Mr. Hawken moved that the word "first" be deleted from the resolution. In moving this, he wished to make it clear that he was not opposed to the Ohura railway, but, in the interests of Southern Taranaki, the League should press for both lines. He was afraid that Taranaki was going to get a very small Vote this year, 'and it would be best to treat both lines alike. Mr. Masters said Mr. Hawken had'

Mr. W. D, Powdrell, M.P., in supporting the amendment, said no one in southern Taranaki would support the resolu tion as it stood, because it implied pushing on the Okahukura railway to ths exclusion of the Opunake line. He advocated urging the Government to push on the line from the north end in order to get at the huge supplies of timber at present locked up. Mr. Jennings said it was never intended that the Stratford-Okahukura line should have exclusive attention to the detriment of other Taranaki lines. His opinion was that the Minister of Public Works would see that Southern Taranaki would get a fair share in regard to the Te Roti-Opunake line. Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., said he was going to support the reielution because,

in framing it, it was the intention to press for the speedy completion of the Te Roti-Opimake line. lie did not wish to see a single man taken oil that line and put on the Stratford-Okahukura railway. Mr. Stevenson (Kapuni): There's only one man there n»w!

Mr. Smith: Well, it would be a pity to lose him! Continuing, he said he believed that the Okahtikura railway should be pushed forward as being of greatest inportance, while at the same time urging that the work of the Te Roti-Opunake line be continued with the greatest expedition. He asked the delegates to work for the whole of the province, and not take a parochial view. Mr. E. Dixon objected to the wording of the resolution, as he considered the Te Roti-Opunake line was likely to rbe the best paying line. He believed tliat the meeting should ask for the completion of the Okahukura line to the coalfields, and the Opunake line be regarded as of equal importance. WHERE THE LABOR IS. Mr. Masters said Mr. Hawken ha,d given a wrong impression of the attitude of the members. It was never intended that the Okahukura railway should be the only consideration. As far as the Te Ro'ti-Manaia line was concerned he always had believed that it should be pushed forward with great expedition. All he wanted was unity, because if they were not united they would get very little. At the present time out of 1900 men on railway works, they found that 1470 were on Auckland lines, 160 in Taranaki, and a,bout 300 in the South Island. If they did not have unity they ivould probably be left behind, becauwj all other portions of tha Dominion were organising for their own districts. He hoped to see the Te- Rotiifoturoa line completed as early as possible.

Mr. W. D. Powdrell advocated asking for the line to be continued from the north end as rapidly as possible in order to get at the big timber reserves. The chairman suggested that the whole of the resolutions submitted by the meeting of members of Parliament should be bunched together and put as one resolution. These matters were the Stratford-Okahukura railway, completion of all tunnels and bridges, the Te Roti-Moturoa line, the Mt. Egmoiit •quarry, and the Mokau bridge. Mr. F. T. Bellringer caid that as the railways were of the greatest importance to the province they should be kept separate. He suggested putting the two railways in the one resolution. Mr. T. C. List thought the motion could be worded differently to express the wishes of all concerned. The main consideration was to get unity, from the lack of which they had suffered so much in the past.

Mr. Jennings said that nothing was of such great importance to the whole of Taranaki as the Stra'tford-Okahukura railway, and he would always urge it as a matter of national importance which would help i'aranaki and also the Wellington province. The amendment that the word "first" be deleted was lost on the voices. Mr. T. A. Bridge then moved as a further amendment:—"That in the opinion of the meeting, the first works to be put through, on behalf of the Taranaki provincial district, are the rapid completion of the Stratford-Okahukura railway, the completion of all tunnel works and bridges on the line, and the completion of the Te Roti-Moturoa line at the earliest possible opportunity. The amendment was carried.

BRIDGING THE MOKAU. Mr. Hawken moved: "That the Government be asked to provide the estimates for the erection of a bridge over the Mokau." He said it was a Very necessary work, and should be provided for without delay. The motion was seconded by Mr. Newton King. Mr. Jennings said tliat the bridge had been promised by successive Ministers for 20 years, but nothing had been done yet. It was a very necessary work in every respect in order to connect Taranaki by road with Auckland. The resolution was carried unimously.

MT. EGMONT QUARRIES.

Mr. C, J. Belcher moved: "That the reopening of the Mt. Egmont quarries be urged as a work of importance on the Government, as this would be in the interests of the whole provincial district.", With regard to the supply of metal they had got to the end of. their tethtr in Eltham, and Hawera was very much in the same position. The only thing they did not like about the Mt Egmont metal was the cost.

Mr. Connett, in seconding, said ihe hoped the Government would see its way ta provide chips for tarring purposes. Mr. Bellringer urged that the executive should impress upon 'the Government the advisability of having the metal delivered at any station on the line instead, of taking delivery at the dumps. Mr. Powdrell urged the local bodies to give the necessary guarantees and accept the responsibility for 60,000 cubic yards. If their requirements fell short by 10,000 or 15,000, the Government would compel them to fulfil their contract. The present guarantees were only about half of the 60,000. The resolution was carried. NAURU PHOSPHATES.

Mr. R. Masters referred to the Nauru phosphates and said that the Minister of Agriculture had agreed to allow direct shipments to Tai'anaki if there was a plant in New Plymouth for treating the rock. It was a matter of very great importance to the fanning community, because the saving of coastal freights meant a big thing to the province.

Mr. J. B. Richards said that they were not concerned where the .works were to be erected. It might be advisable to have the works at New Plymouth and South Taranaki. £ll he wanted was to see that the farmers received the phosphate manure at the lowest possible cost and to do this and take advantage of the direct shipments to New Plymouth works for treating the rock should be provided.

Mr. Hawken expressed the opinion that the ordinary bone crushers at the freezing works should be capable of crushing the rock. To provide works for the complete treating of the phosphate would be too expensive a matter for laranaki, as he understood the manure works in Auckland, cost about a quarter of a million. All he could suggest was that the rock should be crushed at the freezing works and sold as a powder. The big works for making phosphate into superphosphate would cost so much that it was unlikely there would be any works entablishcd in Nauru. Mr. J. S. Connett said that unless Taranaki farmers were prepared to expend a big amount in providing a plant H was quits impossible {at th&m te ex-

| pect the rock to be properly treated in | Taranaki. Mr. W. D. Powdrell said that rpck phosphate was used largely in mixing with other manures. If the Auckland works were not large enough to cope with the demand for the whole Dominion, it might be wisest to crush the rock in Taranaki at the freezing works and usb it in that form. The matter waa referred to the executive. COAL FOR, TARANAKI. Mr. Powdrell said that Mr. Massey was quite sympathetic in regard to Taranaki's desire to have the Tangarahau coal-field exploited. Mr. Hawken said that he understood that there were boring machines and borers available, and something would be done shortly. The dairy companies were taking the matter up. Mr. S. G. Smith said there was a shortage of geologists, and those whom the Department had were underpaid. He moved that the' League ask for a, geological survey of the coal-fields at once. The motion was seconded by the chairman and carried. The question of sending a deputation to Wellington was left in the hands of the executive.