ROADS IN WESTLAND.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 790, 7 February 1871, Page 2

ROADS IN WESTLAND.

The following is an extract from Dr Knight's report to the General Government "with regard to the roads most urgently required in the County : — I have the honor to report that I suggested to th 9 County Chairman that we should recommend the General Government to take over the Christchurch roads, and the trunk, road between Stafford Town and Pounamou ; to improve these riads, and extend the Stafford road to Grey river on the north, and to Arahua river on the south.

Except the means of transit along the sea beach at low water, neither Ross to the southward nor Greymouth to the north are connected by roads with Hokitika. There is a metalled road nearly fifteen miles in length, between Stafford and Pounanvn, and another, three and ahalf miles in length, between Arahura and Hokitika ; and, again, nearly four miles of metalled road between the coalpits on the south side of the Grey river and the Arnold. These are the whole of the trunk roads in the Connty, with the exception nf the Christchurch road, and patches of road in the vicinity of Ross. A glance at the map will show how completely isolated these roads are. Between Stafford Town and the Arahura there is no public road, and none between Pounamu and Greymouth. There can be no doubt that a trunk road uniting these two detached roads to the main centres of population — Hokitika and Greymouth — ought to be constructed as early as possible. I find from the records of the County Council that the Council had resolved that the Survey Department should be instructed to ascertain the most practicable route for an inland main road from Greymouth to RO3S, touching at Hokitika and all the centres of population ; and it was with a view of improving and extending the Stafford road to Hokitika on the s^uth, and Greymouth on the north ; and of carrying out, also, all the necessary alterations in the Christchurch road, that I made the suggestions which I mention in the first paragraph of this report, and which, if adopted, would complete a trunk road from Greymouth to Hokitika, and connect all the centres of population to the north of Hokitika, with the exception of the important district in the neighborhood of Lake Brunner. I had a map, therefore, prepared, showing the existing roads and tramways, together with the additional roads required to complete a trunk road throughout the Connty. A metalled road, 10ft wide, from Arahura to Stafford Town, a distance of 3i miles, would cost about L 2300, or of 14ft wide, would cost L3OOO.- It is necessary to add that the road, as laid down in the map, would materially interfere with the rights of a private tramway. In the opinion of the Connty Chairman, it would be advisable to purchase the tramway and convert it into an ordinary dray road. The Council, however, has recommended that the road to Stafford Town should commence opposite a point between the seventh and eighth mile-post on the Christchurch road. It will be seen by reference to the map that the Stafford ! Town road would then form a part of a trunk road connecting Ross with the main centres, of population, but this scheme of the Council would double the distance between Arahura and Stafford Town, and the road would scarcely be used at all. From Stafford Town to Pounamu an excellent road has lately been completed at an expense of L 12,17 4; a coach runs, regularly between the two places, and an excellent punt lies on the Teremakau, thus forming an easy means of communication between Stafford Town, Goldsborough, and the Pounaam district. The next extension would be from point D on the Ponnamu road, across the Hohonu river to Marsden. At present it is easier to get fro ai Pounamu to Hokitika, twentyfive miles, than from Pounamu to Marsden, six miles. The road would be six miles in length, ten feet in width, and would cost about L 630 0; or if fourteen feet wide about 7500. This road is urgently required, and should be continued from Marsden to the New River, i

where the Cock-a-bulla Creek joins it, and from thence to the Limestone Saddle and the Omotumotu creek to Gieymouth, and thus connect the Waimea tnd Pounamu districts with the town of Greymouth. A line has been surveyed by Mr Rochfort, and a committee of the County Council has recorameuded the Omotumotu route, as there are no engineering difficulties in the way. Maraden is already connected by privale tramways, that of Hamilton, and Co., from Marsden to Paroa, and that of Kilgour, from Paroa to Greymouth.These tramways have considerably reduced the cost of carriage of goods to gold fields, between Greymouth and Marsden. Both of them are protected for ten yeara under regulations published in the County Gazette. The entire distance of the proposed line from Marsden to Greymouth is twelve miles. A ten foot road will cost L 900 0; a fourteen foot do., L 11,400. These works would complete a trunk road from Hokitika to Greymouth. They are all urgently required, and if constructed, would be a great boon to a large mining population. That from Hohonu to Marsden would open tip country which has not been hitherto explored. Turning now to the country south of H~kitika, we find thedistrict of Ross, with a population of 2000 souls, with no means of communication with the port of Hokitika except by a miserable sea-beach road, which crosses a river where the floods are continually shifting. Mr Hoos, the County Chairman, in his letter of the 14th inst.,. states that a road +0 thia large and populous mining district is imperatively required.

The distance between Boss and Hokitika is not less than fifteen miles, and the estimated cost of a road 14 feet wide would be rather more than L 12,000. This sum is much larger than the moneys at the disposal of the County would admit. Mr Hoos suggests that the construction should take place under that portion of the " Public Works Act, 1870," which enables the Governor to grant Crown lands for the purpose of constructing roads, or by part payment in cash- and the remainder in land. If the Government should adopt this suggestion, the requisite quantity of land might be set apart on the recommendation of the County Council. The road would commence' on the south side of the Hokitika River, and would mount the terrace overhanging that river, till it leached.an elevation of about 350 feet above the sealevel. Throughout the remainder, of its course its average height above the sea would be about 250 feet, running at an average distance from the sea beach of two and a half miles through good agricultural country. The formation of the country is reported to be easy, with light timber. If the road were made only ten feet wide, and cleared thirty-three feet, the cost would not much exceed L7OOO. Koads are also required for the development of gold fields in the direction of Lake Brunner, and on the south side of the Grey River,- as far as the Coal Pits. A metal road, eight feet wide, from the coal mines to the track leading to Maori Gully has been completed at an expense to the County of L 2698, and freight on goods has been by this means reduced from Ll4 to L 9 per ton, the goods being landed at Still water Creek, and carted from thence to Maori Gully. The population at Stillwater Creek and Arnold district may be estimated at 700 souW

A committee of the Council has recommended that a dray road should be constructed from the boundary of the Borough of Greymouth to the Arnold junction. This road is much needed, but it seems useless to attempt to make it on the banks of the Grey, as the first flood might cary portions of it away. The line proposed is laid down in the map. Sometime since a movement was made to form a company to work the coal mines, and construct a railway or tramway to Greymouth, but up to the present time no definite arrangements have been entered^ into, owing, I believe to the question of annexation to Nelson having interfered. ' This vexed question having been shelved for the present, has led to proposals being again made to the County authorities for a right to work the coal fields, and construct a way from the pits to Greymouth. I have not thonght it necessary to dwell on the advantages that would be conferred on mining districts by good roads. The want of them soon drives miners from all but the rich goldfields. I see by one of the Warden's reports that while flour at Greymouth was L2O per ton, and potatoes L 6, the prices in the Arnold districts were L 34 per ton frr flour, and Ll7 per ton for potatoes. Supposing that in the Arnold and Brunner . districts, where is a population of more than 1000 souls, that the yearly consumption of flour is 150 tons, the formation of a good road woul3 save some LISOO a year to the miners in flour alone.