WEST COAST PROSPECTS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1922, Page 4

WEST COAST PROSPECTS

TUNNEL TO TAKE HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. * CHRISTCHURCH, May 27. Tin.- Clii'istinns traffic to the West Coast should go through the Otirn. tunnel, according to a view expressed by the President of the Progress League (Mr A. (I. Henderson), who returned to Christchurch, on Thursday iTom a tea dnys’„visit to the West Coast. In an interview regarding the West Coast resterdav he stated that he could see no reasoii why work in the tunnel should not he sufficiently far advanced to parmil of running of Cliristmas traffic hi it was another matter whether the yards would be completed for the haml]ing of goods traffic. | COOD WORK IN TUNNEL. I From a detailed inspection ol too ( tunnel on his way hack to Christchurch. Air Henderson was satisfied that a very | meat deal of credit was due to the I Public Works’ engineers, foremen and men for the manner in winch they l ad i pushed the work along. The progress i of the work, he said, was visibly rapid. ' The Progress League’s party on the i wav to the West Coast, had been ratn-r I alarmed at the state of the ballasting. He did not know what quantity would he required, hut it was probably :n tlio neighbourhood of 30,000 yards, and delav had occurred because there was only one line through the tunnel, and die re I had been constant interruptions of the traffic. After a second look at the posi- | t-ion he did not think that the ballasting ! should delay the completion ol the w.u k i beyond the end of the year, lie iad | been greatly impressed hy the efficiency I of the men, who were never loafing on t he job. i BRIDGING THE C’OASI . j The approaches to the new Waitaha ' bridge, Mr Henderson said, had been the cause of much dissatisfaction hid the contract had been stopped, and the Public Works Department had made n now arrangement, and had trans- ' (erred to the Waitaha the foreman ■•. ho bud charge of the Little Wanganui job. The win It at the Little Wangafiui had struck the party as Ihe i.nost busi-ness-like job of the kind that they had seen, and tho intention was to adopt 1 the same method at the AAaitaha. HEAVY ROAD TRAFFIC.

Another problem that was woriyi i.n the Westland people was the maintenance of a stretch of ,road smith ol Ferguson’s, where heavy lorries, weighing loaded up to 8 or 9 tons, had In n catling into a portion of the road that, had no solid foundation. Represe nations wore made to the district engineer on the subject, amt lie stated it.at tin- matter had already been taken up with the head office in Wellington, and I e hoped that money would he nv.'ida'de to nut He particular stretch oi road in first-class order prior to the eommoiicomciit of the tnuiist ‘■ea'-nii. Cl! KYMOI’TH IN THE DOI.DRU MS.

There were plenty of evidences of a hc.d■ hy progressive spirit on the ( i.a-:,’’ Mi llrmlerso.il remarked, *‘ex- < lit in G:e\month itself. In Guymo nth I dul lie; have l-'e good lor'.me to imu jute contact with any o: the piogi—s-ivc spirits, and for the most

pa it. tie opinion.-- • •xp-e :s -d I v the ( < >• p! - with win m I did com-, in •on i-I silgges'ed I hai Gi - it h uas ra -'. ’

in a trough. Even bn ly aho goes tii--:t

(>.pre--os ihe mimio.i i.-iat the phimight to he el.( t -i-all\ l-t bid pevuilon i,pillion there eerms to he t!uu uilli .'• i ah ii'il.inee of coal handy it woti.d n d >i:iv io convert coal into e! rlrni'y, although i -. sumal iy it tens to ci-awi! coal into gas. CF;-’F I OF TFNXKL TRAFFIC. in' mu i . j oide ill (! - - I --.o' are il nM Th; I I! e op -1-ing of Ihe ()t il'u ii- n I will leave Gre,-mouth as a eo’i,- ~ ■• ;j . -a::v hi J, ' and drv.” An Mam added. "Th:\ feel that t'-.- t,,.!'''u- Mill run nrs 1 tletil to liosi ti'a mi tin- mi,- hand and Wo.-ipul inti..- i; Hu-r. mi !Hu y d-i ioi i -ail th r sis t'; ■ t-ade an I e-immi'ie-- ci t 1 :- I i :.>t iidvittlcc. (I rymmi a, a - tie lot - 1 iciifie must in.hi lie 1.-em-fil li- iI: oati lv H:e osi ori--ui:g li. hi-in i-u (-011:111-. d'iion -lor tourists -is not being t u-’th-d seriously. Ore or two -io'.>L m G.i i mouth are (-enlcmplutin-.r ao ■ a'ions ami udditieu.-;, hut the imheat ie.m a;c fli.it nuihb.-i -of tom i-- - wti! 1 " I |>t away from the C-iasl hy In-!; oi 111. , aeeai’i! 1 !! dalioll. M 11.11 jitul H STARTED. •• Gen,-I- II- speaking, on:- -i-.i >:.y |! at a mild loom 1 "t- nh.-a.lv set ‘U ni \\ ,■ s I laud mid Sot Ii Westland, an HII , an- looking forward will licit I.i.j.e <to an era of high prospei ity. I met u geo-1 many peoiile iioiu We-t-I .ml and the l ull r d-strii t wiio av • t-i 11 t:i11 \ op'iinisl ie, l.ui I dul not im- a the same op’.imis-m in the Gr y district."