LEWIS PASS ROAD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 32, 1 November 1937, Page 9

LEWIS PASS ROAD

-Presa Association.)

Opening Ceremony Performed by Minister highways board taking over

(By Telegraph"-

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Between 1500 and 2000 people assembled at the head of Lewis Pass qn Saturday for the olficial opening of the new Lewis Pass highway Jinking Canterbury and the West Coast. The ceremony was performed by Hon. R. Semple, Ministpr pf Pnblic Worxs on the actual boundary between Canterbury and Ihe Coast at a height of 2836ft. abOve sea ievel. The day was brilliantly fine and revealfed the scenic beauties of the neW route at their be3t. Tho new route makes the diitance from Christchurch tb the northern por* tion of the West Coast mueh shorter than the old Otira route. The road still requires the completion pf four srnall ; bridges on the Canterbury side but deviations to avoid these are short and are passable by all vehicles. Hons. D. G. Sullivan and P. C. Webb were also pieseni and Rt. Hon. G. Forbes, member for thp disfrict. Mr. F. Coop, president of the Canterbury PxogrBss Lpague, was in chargb of the proceedings. The meeting of east and west was ' symbolised by Mr. E. P, H. Burbury, of Glynn Wye, who has been one of the most aetivp advocatps of the formatipn of the Toad, shaking hands across fhe boundary ilbbon with Mr. P. 3 . McLean, chairman of the Grey Harbour Board. Mr. Semple said he was pleased to ; see so much interest in the opening of the rdad. He personally congratulated , Mr. F. Langbein, District Public Works ; engineer, and Mr. J. B. Jackson, enginefer in charge of the job. The men on the job had worked diligently, and there had been no spitoon philosophers or scroungers on the job. The countiea j would be pleased to hear that to ensure proper maintenance it was intended on the completion of the remaining work tp declare the route a main highway, said Mr. Sfemple. Thus the entire road would be controlled and cared for by ihe Main Highways Board. About £200,000 had been spent on the road Jmd ihe Government was not going to spend that amount and then allow the highway to gb back into disrepair. It ' woiild complete the road at both ends dnd k6ep it up to a proper Stapdard. ,| • "Later ofi We will talk about paving the road, iiut not just yet, We will get the humps, bumps and turns off first." 1 Mr. Forbes congratulated Mr. Semple, whoSe energy he admired. Mr. Semple then ciit the ribbon ahd received a presentation from the Progress League and the Inangahua County Coiinil, 1 Mr. Burbury entertained 500 guests at a luncheon in the marquee at the ' head of the pass.