Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 29th, 1919. OUR SCENIC ASSET.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 29th, 1919. OUR SCENIC ASSET.

The remarks of Mr H. G. Ell, M.P.. reprinted in a recent issue from a Canter, bury paper draws attention yet again to the great scenic asset Westland possesses. Mr Ell has traversed the South Westland route as far as Waiho Gorge, a distance of 90 miles, and like each and every visitor passing through that wonderful landscape, has marvelled at the scenic * glory all along the road. The distance covered by Mr Ell, ; s about one-third of the length of Westland, I which, throughout, is a remarkable succession of beauty spots. The comparative narrowness of the province, backed bv the high mountain range, invariably snow-capped with its river and valley, lakes and waterfalls, and above all i-, variety in forestry, give the whole stretch of Westland a unique possession ( of natural and rugged beauty which it is difficult for nature itself to eclipse any where. Naturally, Mr Ell, a lover of nature, has fallen in love with our f-orests. Coming from a treeless Canterbury whose wide plains are devoid of little natural bush, the great forests here .through wliich the highways must pass to afford ingress and egress, have captivated him, as it has done scores of others who go through the country with their eyes open. But the settled population of Westland cannot live on viewing scenery only. The daily bill of fare requires to be something more immediately material and so some of our wonderful scenery must fall before the settler’s axe, as he carves out a home in the forest, and is another pio neer spreading the confines of the Empire and assisting to build up the future of this great country. Probably it were the necessities of the occasion which forced the good people of Akaroa to clear the bush, the absence of which Mr Ell now bewails in his own territory. There is also the case of the North Island, where the Forty Mile Bush was demolished to make way for settle ment and the now flourishing centres along that route. 'Settlement is the best thing that can happen a district if it is to prosper genuinely and permanently. If the good folk of the south had to depeud upon the tourist traffic and the visitors bent on inspecting the scenery, the progress of South Westland would be extremely slow. Besides, the Government do not help to attract tourist traffic. They delay and delay over the t Otira tunnel, and they dally and dally over the bridging of the south rivers. The ulitarian side has to be considered first and foremost by those who find they cannot live on scenery alone. For this reason most of the bush tracts of South Westland will have to go. But Mr Ell and those who think with him need not deplore the the situation as hopeless Westland has stored treasures of bush scenery remote from the main roads, while the wilder and grander beauty of be high country will long remain one of the charms of the district. The exquisite beauty of its lakes and river gorges will not pass away readily, and on all these uniquo sights travellers for many a year to come can feast their eyes to their hearts’ content; and if they come in thousands then there will be reason to reserve and preserve the more notable points of view. Dribbling along as they do now thero is not any wisdom in preserving the more accessible points of hush scenery when the landless are crying for land. Westland is so endowed with wide spreading forests that its future suggests the mot. to of down with the bush up with the grass if it is going to keep astride with other places in the matter of flourishing settlement.