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Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1921, Page 2

The many visitors who have visited South Westland during the holidays re-

turn with a hymn of praise on their lips of the scenery and resources of the district. Many of the visitors have been North Islanders who return surprised with what they have seen. One gentleman, a banker, freely expressed the opinion that the Government should without delay spend £IOO,OOO in bridging rivers, improving the road, and pioviding requisite extra accommodation for the stream of people which is going to find "its way to that remarkable beauty spot>-the AVaiho Glacier. This opinion is not new to Westlanders, wlu> have been urging these views on successive Governments for many years past, but it is pleasing to have the confirmation from North Islanders who arc supposed to have some inherent objection to Government expenditure in the South Island, and particularly in AVestland. What the friendly critic has just said should be done, might well be taken up by the local bodies and the Progress League, and make it the .slogan of the year—the bridging of the South AVestland rivers. There is no reason other than the lack of energy on the part of the Government, why the Little AVaitaha, Little AVanganui and AVaitnngi rivers should not be bridged this year. Those three structures accomplished, and the south trip should lose its terrors to visiting motorists. If tliQ three rivers were bridged, the Automobile Association could advertise the fact abroad throughout its branches and there would be an unending stream of travellers to and from South A\ restlnnd. These works are of such prime importance to the internal development of the South district, that' agitation for their construction should not flag till the bridges are under way. Ministers should he reminded day by day till for very peace % sake, the requests were complied with. It is not an unreasonable nor unattaindble request, for Parliament has voted the money, and the works have but to be sanctioned. All the Minister in charge has to say is but a word of three letters—“ A T es - and the great barrier to South AVestland traffic will begin to disappear. Cannot this district ask unitedly for this little affirmative word, and not cease asking till the magic syllable is uttered—then progress South Westland!

Onk of the {rreat. lessons of the war was the anminjT reserve force of labour, hitherto undiscovered, which Britain discovered in the women of the nation. It would in many respects be a pity il tliis lesson were not utilised in peace time, though nobody wishes to see the ( unwise exploitation of female labour. A contemporary learns that an industrial experiment has been set on foot in a British manfacturing town. A factory staffed and operated exclusively by women is about to be opened. The beginning is to be made on a small scale in order to gain experience which will be useful in development on a broader basis. The first order secured by tin’s factory was for hosiery needles and for machining parts of a new type of pump. It, is.hoped to develop the business on a co-operative basis, but the venture is being run a strictly business basis. The important part played by women in British machine shops during the war is, of course, responsible for this unique enterprise.