MT. HECTOR TRACK

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1933, 16 December 1913, Page 19

MT. HECTOR TRACK

DISCUSSED IN THE HOUSE. There was a good deal of talk in tlio House of Representatives yesterday about a vote of £200 ou the Supplement tary Estimates towards tlio construction or a tourist track over Mount- Hector, from Otaki to Greytowi'i, 31r. C. K. Wilson declared that it «ns a wasto of public money to spend it in cutting a track through the mountains at a tirno when money was so scarco. Mr. J. Itobertson said that it wars Quito true that this was a tourist track, out it had beeh nskod for many times by a great many people. It would open Jip a uno tourist district and confer benchts upon tho citizons of AVellington and others. At tho samo time an equal sum was required to givo some settlers in .another part of his district access to their holdings. It would lie better to spend tho monoy upon this latter object if it was to bo a choice between tho two, but ho would prefer both votes. - Sir AValter Buchanan said that tho votb for the track had wot been nut upon tlio Estimates at his instance, hut i\, ,- e , » sta " c c of a deputation ■ from Otaki. Hie track would bring the two districts of Otaki and Wairarapa withuitcen. miles of ono aiiotlior, wherens with tlio present means of communication a distance of nearly one hundred iniles had to bo traversed. Anyone wlio had been in the district must adm't its scenic beauties. Tho track would pass .''j'-'l't over tho toy, of Mount Hector. I lie pconle on both sides of the mountain had f'one to considerable expense and contributed largely in both money and labour to the construction of the track, and he did not think: anv fault should be found with a vote of £500, Mr. Wilson still insisted that it war a scandalous 'wasto of money to snomt £200 "for rccnie purposes"'when'" settlers wanted money for roads. Dr. Newman sucrgested (hat it would he better to spend money in completing the road from AYamsarino to Taupo (about £3000 was required) than 'to throw it away on a track: over Mount Hector which no tourist, would eve,use. Hie vote u'li .*0 lowed to pass with* - out inrtlior opposition. ■■