LEWIS PASS ROAD

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21413, 4 March 1935, Page 12

LEWIS PASS ROAD

PROSPECTS FOR COMPLETION INSPECTION BY PROGRESS LEAGUE NECESSITY FOR BRIDGING THE HOPE RIVER

Strong efforts to secure the completion of the Lewis Pass road from Canterbury to the West Coast are likely to follow from an inspection of the route which was made by members of the Highways Committee of the Canterbury Progress League and the representatives of other interested organisations. After an open-air meeting of the committee on the banks of the Hope river, near the present terminus of this new road, it was decided to recommend to the executive of the league that every effort should be made to accelerate progress of the scheme. It was stated during the inspection that an important essential in the scheme was the bridging of the Hope river and that once this could be accomplished the prospects of ultimate completion would be much brighter. Only 17 miles of road remain to be constructed to join the Canterbury road with the completed West Coast sector. The bridge over the Hope will cost approximately £6OOO and it was authoritatively stated on Saturday that to finish the whole road into the coast will cost approximately £IOO,OOO. The completion of the road will give new and convenient access not only to Greymouth, Reefton and Westport on the coast, but to Nelson; and for all places from north of Greymouth to beyond Nelson will shorten the distance from Christchurch by from 30 miles to 80 miles.

Those who made the trip as far as the Hope river on Saturday included Mr F. Langbein, District Public Works Engineer, Mr J. E. Strachan, chairman of the Highways Committee of the league, Mr F. ¥/. Johnston, president of the league, Professor A. H. Toeker, Messrs A. E. Langdale-Hunt, George Maginness. C. E. Cross, L. Wilson (chairman of the roads committee of the Automobile Association), P. R. Climie (secretary of the league). F. I. Ledger, president of the Nelson Provincial Progress League, and E. P. H. Burbury (North Canterbury). Recent Improvements Already there is approximately 20 miles of fine well-formed road going into the Waiau Valley from the main highway to Hanmer. On this section of what will be the Lewis Pass road much valuable work has been done in the last two years by unemployed labour, so much so that for the entire distance to the Hope river there is very little roafl over which motoring is not wholly enjoyable. In the opinion of those of the party on Saturday who made a similar inspection two years ago the condition of this highway has improved noticeably. Much widening work has been done, deviations made, formation improved and grades made easier. Nearly 70 men stationed at a camp several miles in from the Hanmer highway junction, are engaged in this work and will shortly be moved some miles up the road to complete the task of bringing the formed section into the condition of the first section. When this work is completed the road right to the Hope river will be in much better condition than many country highways used by far heavier traffic, and a trip up the Waiau Gorge towards the Hope should become as popular a week-end run as the trip to Hanmer. Protection from River The inspection party made a close survey of the road on Saturday, under the guidance of Mr Langbein. They were shown one of the most important recent works—the deviation where the road leaves the Hanmer highway and where a much better approach has been provided by a new stretch of well formed roadway. This deviation is a little under a mile long. For the first few miles of the road there arc several spots, it was stated, where in the future it might be necessary to consider providing some protection from river erosion. But it was explained that at present expenditure was restricted to the actual road.

In the last 10 years the old road has been cut away by the river for some chains. The new section is well above the point of present erosion where fioodwater seems to wear away the> soft argillite rock fairly rapidly. The groyne at the bluff is being made big enough to withstand high floods and it is expected that it will have the usual effect of such protection works and by building up a cushion of comparatively dead water prevent any further serious erosion and swing the river out again. It was pointed out to the members of the party making the inspection that the alternative plan to build the road on the other side of the river would involve bridging the Waiau higher up at a cost of many thousands of pounds. Scenic Attractions Half a mile beyond this point, after passing over the bluff the road crosses Handysidqs creek, one of the most troublesome of the few crossings necessary, where it was stated that a small bridge would be needed. The creek comes down a magnificent gorge which should prove one of the attractions to sightseeing motorists who will use this route in the future. A few miles on is another fine piece" of scenery—a high waterfall tumbling over rock cliffs in a delicate, fine veil. Fifteen miles in from the junction of the road with the main highway is a pretty horse-shoe-shaped tarn on which teal and duck were swimming in fair numbers on Saturday. Surrounded by bush and bulrushes and flanked by high hills this little tarn Ls one of the prettiest sights on the route. The road goes past the Glen Wye station and even there is still in such good condition that the motor-cars on Saturday were able to maintain an average speed of 30 miles an hour over considerable sections.

On the banks of the Hope,river the party saw the site of the bridge which was said to be so necessary a part of any future progress with the road. It was explained that if the bridge was erected there would be some justification for going ahead with the formation on the other side. Already there is a rough sec-

tion of road there, but it is considered that men ought not to be asked to work across the Hope until better access is provided. The river floods occasionally to such a height that it is impossible to get across for some days and in the event of an accident or illness at a camp beyond the river it would in such circum-stances-be impossible to secure assistance. Meeting by the Hope • The highways committee decided to hold a meeting on the banks of the Hope before returning along the road to the main highway. The secretary read an apology" for absence from the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitchener). Mr Strachan presided. He referred to an inspection by a large party five years ago and said that apart from the many improvements to the existing road no progress had been made with the main work of pushing the road through. The main objective, getting to the West Coast, did not seem appreciably nearer. The bridging of the Hope seemed the stumbling block to further progress, and this involved capital expenditure which the Government appeared to be unwilling to meet at the momeiv.

After some discussion about the position and a statement by Mr Climie, Professor Tocker moved that it be a recommendation to the executive that every effort be made to accelerate the progress of the scheme. Mr Johnston seconded the .notion. He said that he knew nothing, except the shortage of funds, .which had prevented the road being continued. He thought that having been started, the work ought to be pushed on to its completion. The morion was carried. Other details of the committee's intentions were discussed in committee.