LEADING TO WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 144, 14 March 1921, Page 6

LEADING TO WELLINGTON

MARLBOROUGH’S HIGHWAYS.

(From a Correspondent.) Blenheim, March 11.

Considprable satisfaction has been expressed throughout Marlborough at the attitude of the Minister of Public Works concerning important needs of this province While the railway from Pictoa to Christchurch still appears as a dream which cannot materialise just now, the people are eager to push on with other works which are capable of early realisation. In effect, Mr. Coates has advised Marlborough to concentrate iwJ? attention on roads and hydro-electrics. With the main south read vastly improved andl ‘the last river—the Kekerangu—bridged, good use could be made of the existing lengths of railway—about 70 miles at ench -.-nd—while the gap of 80 miles could be covered) by efficient car services under Government control. If this was done the present steamer service could connect at Picton wiih a train leaving for Wharanui— the railhead—at 6.30 a.m. Wharanui would be readied at about 10 o’clock. Cars leaving there at 10.15 would be in Kaikoura at 12 for lunch. Leaving again nt 1 ixm., Parnassus would be reached about 3.30 o’clock, and the train from that point would! bet in Christchurch by 7.30 p.m. In this way passengers embarking at Wellington at 11 p.m. would be conveyed by steamer, rail and motor over cue of the most delightful routes in 84, hours. The Chamber of Commerce has already urged this scheme upon the Minister of Railways, and have' reasons to believe it will be a’.-.bpted. To hasten its adoption, steps are being taken to ascertain if a majority of citizens would be in favour of asking the Government to transfer thei .£15,000 now on the Estimates for the railway to the read. Another very popular road project is the completion of the highway from Birch Hill, 40 miles from Idenheim up the Wairau, to Tophouse, where ths Nelson and West Coast road systems would be connected with. A number of residents and visitors Jiave driven over the route in horse vehicles. It traverses very easy country, but ’ s impassable for motors until the Wairau River is bridged. Tenders for this work are being called, and the Minister is hopeful of completing this important road vithin the next two years. Only si>tet?n miles of road have to be formed, anti once the big bridge is completed motorcars will be able to travel over the tussocky country. From a strategic point of view this road is important, as it provides a direct route from Picton to the coalfields. In time of war it would be an easy matter to lay ia light railway along one side, of the road l , to carry coal to- warships lying in Queen Charlotte Sound. The question of whether the five read hoards of the Wairau Valley will .amalgamate into one county council is another burning one-. If the step is taken, the reading question will be simplified, particularly as it applies to the Nel-son-Blenheim road. This highway is regarded by Mr. Coates as a highly important one, andl it must have attention immediately, as it is very bad, especially on the Marlborough side of the Rai Saddle. A striking feature of the main Marlborough roads is that on the map they appear to radiate from. Wellington. Oply the straits prevent their being carried into Courtenay Place. To cover the water-gap,- a good steamer service is now running, and it is the aim of all progressive spirits in Marlborough to have this service retailed', f?o th-at, in effect, ftll the roads and railways which they are building or will build shall literally lead to Wellington.