Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 23rd, 1920. WORTH WHILE.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 23rd, 1920. WORTH WHILE.

Tiie Canterbury delegates who have been visiting AA’estland for the purpose of looking into the requirements of the district, wound up their stay on Saturday afternoon when they returned from the south, and went on North to Greymouth and AVestport, there to glean further knowledge of the Coast and its resources. The AA r estland trip had proved a distinct success nnd thoroughly north while. To begin with, the visitors were favored with Prince’s weather, and they saw the district under most favourable conditions. There was genial sunshine and a hearty welcome wherever they went, and the party were greatly impressed, not to say entranced by what they saw. Travelling by motor car from tbeir arrival at Otira on Tuesday last, till Saturday afternoon when they returned from South AA T estland, the visitors must have travelled upwards of 400 miles, and in that time and distance they saw a great deal more than the ordinary visitor. It is pleasing to learn that the visitors were delighted with all that they saw. To most of them AA’estland was

“discovered” for the first time

preconceived ideas of the place were demolished nnd they could .marvel only that the people outside of the. Coast possessed such an ilk-informed opinion of the district and its really remarkable possibilities. It is not too must to say that every member of the party went away with the highest opinions of the district, and determined to do all that lay in his power to enlighten the folk elsewhere ns to the urgent necessity of bringing this territory into the closest possible intercourse

with other parts of the Dominion. The chief means by which this is to be done, is the completion of the East and AYest Coast railway. This national

work will tap a country carrying resources which developed will supply commodities which other parts of New Zealand are hungering for. The visitors seem to realise this fully, and they are bent on proclaiming their convictions so that the Coast generally will receive some fair measure of recognition at the hands of the Government. Another matter which the delegation is bent upon assisting the district, is in regard to the bridging of the South rivers on the main road to AVailio Gorge and beyond. The need for this was brought ..oiiH' : ’io the visitors in a, personal way. They saw the difficulties to be encountered in crossing several of the streams at this period when the waters were sub-normal. AA'luit tile difficulties would be when the waters were in flood they could but speculate on, and could realise how traffic would be held up. In times of sickness and emergency the restrietion in traffic would be deplorable and the adverse conditions th e people labored under could be fully realised Having come to these conclusions it will l>e seen that from now on AVestlahd is going to have a powerful factor with it in asking for the speedy erection of

the bridges required to span the difficult crossings stretching away to the Wailcukupa to cover the line of road which will lie open for vehicle traffic. It will he good to have these friends—not quite as court as ft were—hut joining up in insistent rcrrsentations pressing the Government to permit Westland to participate in what the Prime Minister once called “the Square-deal all round.” Whil« attention in the direction desired will be for the immediate benefit of Westland, the ultimate benefit will reflect to the benefit of the Dominion. T :, e advancement. of Westland which will carry with it the opening up of the country and additions to the population which twill be for the benefit of all, because greater production will result, and Westland can produce lines of commodities which the rest of the Dominion is actually hungering for. It will be worth f

while, therefore, to see the present visit followed up. Its impressions and views are being spread broadcast throughout the press and the district is obtaining remarkable value through this chance alone. Thereby the foundation is being made for greater things to come to pass nnd AA’estland promises in the long last to receive well merited recognition, and enter very soon on a much enhanced future.

Pressure on our space to-day "ill not, unfortunately, permit of a full report of the southern visit of the Canterbury delegates, and for this .reason the very important information disclosed at Hari iHnri on Friday evening regarding the extension of the South Westland j railway is temporarily held over. It appears however that Mr W. J. Butler, who was one of the ciceroncs with the ! travellers was able to give the public ; meeting at Inter-Wanganpi some highly important information affecting the extension of the railway south of Boss. Mr Butler was able to speak on behalf j 1 of Stuart and Chapman Limited which have entered upon a large timber mili ling enterprise over country extending 1 from south of the Mikonui river to Lake \ lantlie. Mr Butler went on to say that ( the Company had read of the desire of j the people to have the railway extend t>d, and in that connection the Com- : ; pony had written tite' Government 1 j full explanatory letter setting out the : position. Briefly, this was to the effect . that the Company was most anxious : for the railway itself, and if the Go- j vernment would construct it well and i good the Company would use the line j and do everything within its power to [ ; facilitate the construction of the line j | The Company wished the line taken to i j the south side of the Waitaha. river j i where its main operations would be car- | ried on for several years. On the other hand, if the Government would not go on with the line, the Company would ! j as without it, its enterprise would be impossible. If the company constructed the line it woul dhe prepared to transport the goods to and from the district whether from the Waitaha—or Lake j lantlie. As an indication of the revenue ! for the Government in the project, Mr Butler mentioned that since the small j mill at Mikonui had been cutting, and its product railed orei the private rail- | way line to Ross, the freight paid by „ ’ the Company for timber railage from j the Ross station not th had amounted |to over £2,000. Last month alone the i freight paid had tof ailed £4OO. It will I ! he realised that with the big mills . to be erected in operation, this sum will be only a bagatelle of the monthly ami ount ultimately to be paid for the transport of timber from the south, over the Government line. We venture to say that this is the most important district matter at present facing the-peo-ple. It presents an , opportunity on the most convincing grounds for the > extension of the railway south. A large > industry will be opened, and a great - volume of traffic secured, and when the t milling is past, the Crown lands will [, be there for permanent settlement. It , is a wonderful opening—one of the , j events which come all too rarely. Tt ; j is for the people to wake up and en- , j lighten the Government to the trnnscen- : dent importance of the position. The i locpl Progress League and every other i body in Westland should get' into ses- . ! sion at once and not dismiss the , | subject from their mines till the ob- , J jeetive is attained. This great open- , j ing alone stamps the visit of the Can- . j terlnirv delegation as of supreme im- ■ portnnee, and if the project comes to i I pass, as it assuredly should, it will . {mark a very prominent milestone 'n , i the progressive fortunes of Westland , j Public .men of Westland be up and doi ing and lose not a day in pushing this | matter to accomplishment.