WATHO GORGE NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1922, Page 4

WATHO GORGE NOTES

(From a, correspondent.) After a record season, the touristy traffic to our ‘beauty spots ‘may ho said to he drawing to a close, and Air Graham and ‘his staff f<ro enjoying a well-earned breathing spell after a , most Strenuous six miriths. j Settlers on fho Wnilio have taken I fresh heart since‘the visit of the Hon. J. O. Coates (Minister of Public Works). Although the ‘Minister made ISO definite promise with regard to the erection of the cubic bridge over the Waiho river, that gentleman’s remarks on this urgent work, both to the local deputation anil to other deputations further south, has led us to believe that this long looked for .work will [ have special consideration when next the Public Works Estimates are being | compiled. . ... The erection’of this bridge, joining as it will, -the Potters’ Creek Settlement and Tata re Settlement with the Dorherty’s Creek Settlement, is the one link in the chain towards the commencement of dairying in the Waiho Valley. Here, with a sub-division of the Dirge grazing properties, the area is large enough to carry at least 20 families on milking areas, both sharemilking and otherwise, and with the total collapse of the frozen meat beef market, which so far as New Zealand is concerned appears to he ‘final, the settlors in every centre where sufficient support is forthcoming must inevitably turn to the cheese and butter factories whose success in the northern centres is undoubtedly assured.

T.he AVaiho-AVeheka portion of the Main South Road is now (passable for wheel traffic, and now that Messrs AY. and O. Searle’s motor lorry is making regular trips to "Waiho Gorge, the settlers of "Wehekn are reularly engaged in the cartage of their goods front 'Waiho, and so soon as the AVailio bridge is erected, and the Wuikiikupa bridge (now underway) completed.

the AVoheka. Settlement must grow, for in the Cook A'nllev there is sufficient land, by suls-division, for a second T-lari Bari, with dairying land second to none in AVesfcland, and capable ot carrying thirty families. A party of men are engaged on the gravelling of the AA’aibo to Docherty’s Creek road, which work is badly needed, no this portion of tlie Abain South Road lias bail little or no attention since 1t was first constructed in 1831. Settlors of AYaiho and AVelioka have confidence in the future of their respective districts, and have erected modern and up-to-date homesteads, and in most eases have put their money back into their holdings.

Persistent rumours for some time past point to the Ifnct that a. certain local gentleman "ill try com lusion? with the Meniber‘for Westland, at the forthcoming general election, the said gentleman being a candidate for Independent I abour.