THE WEST COAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1923, Page 4

THE WEST COAST.

AX iNDCSTRI A LIST'S VISIT

INTERVIEW WITH ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT. (l.v l tel tun Times). Ten days spent l>y .Mr V\ - . .1. .lenkin, president of the Canterbury Industrial Association on the West Coast resulted in lii> collodion information as to tin' prospects there and in helping to link up sections ol West Coast residents with business men In Chrisichitrch. At Hokitika lie attended a meeting to discuss the industrial exhibition tluil will In- In-Id there. lie mid rliose prosent that a guarantee of about £g"o(> was necessary, and that even if part n!' the money tvas | ( >"L the enterprise would he a good advertisement for the district. In fifteen minutes a -hiri of Clod was guaranteed, and the following morning it was increased to £|(id(). It is hoped that in a few days it will lie farther increased to C3(K)f). At a meeting of residents interested in iiiaiiul'acturt's it was decided to link up with the Cantetrbiiiy Industrial Association. some residents giving their names for nomination as individual member- of the organisation. whose title it is proposed to change to *'!he Canterbury and Westland Industrial A---, ia:ioii.”

At the monthly in l 'cling n| the Westland County Connell. .Wr .lenkin saw -niiietliing ef administrative work in South We-thind. and at the agricultural -lion in Hokitika, although tli" weather was unfavourable, he saw some splendid vegetables, also cakes and s ( lines mud.' l.v the Indies in the Inline industries section. I |e inquired when he was on tin- big \~, i- 1 , n dredge on Ilium I'hit ii it I,| .ml li i',.' lieen made in New Zealand. He ua. • told that some of the |,., r '. . i re ieo large to he made here. '['ln' ..nil, f Tllf.M'tMt w hi.-h Ihe di edge , :il;s;ci|i|! nt It Weill to America. It ei* 11 )ha j.f:\ men on hoard and lilteen nt ilie power sialiou. and their wages lire -jieiit iii New Zealand. Information supplied to Mr .lenkin has convinced him that other We-t Coa.-t Hats I, be dndged as siiei e-si idly as Amerii i j;, ;,r,, dredging Kilim flat. lie suggesl s that they should lie exploited i!ilti-h capital. A company is befunned in Wellington t» place a proposal of this nature before I'.ticr!i^!i ,'maneiers at the Kill pi re Kxb i hit ion. .Manufacturer- and other Inisiiiess men were met by Mr .lenkin at Crcy•niiiitli. T hey also altirmed the dtvi ahlent'ss of linking up with the Canter bury Industrial Association. With Mr .1. i). I.viic'i. Mayor of (Ireymoutli. Mr .lenkin visited the wharves, lie -av seven vessels leading, including two overs,- ,s vessels. .Mr W. .iiheri . sectary of the Creyi ioiiih Harhour Ifoard. told him that in 1P22 Ci'eynioulh export,ed 2-18. I-St I toils ut coal. ll.'S-i told going to ('anterhur.v. Ii is exi.irel eil Hull all ( alll erlillry mal w ill go ihrmigh the tunnel when il is opened. S< recned eoal. Mr -I• -uls lll was informed will lie loaded on the Crvymoulh wliaiw's and r'ailed and lauded in true!-:-at probably U2 a lon or less. Single inn ks with iinsereeued coal it is expel tel will land their coal in I he Christchurch station yard at £1 los a ton: ib. price at the pit'- mouth at 1- C| ,1 1.011 last M.-ar, •'■JI/'S,; feet of umbel weiV ,exported I mill Oreyiiniiltli. iii.Jin.fill feel coining to Canterbury. Most oi tie t timber, ev- .-, ~1 11-' (piaiil ities for Timarii w hi- h .-tie 1 11 ir !\ sill, sail ml. will go iliroii'di the tii ii ut!. The in -.lio-ei I Ireigfit will enable Wrt ( 0:1-1 mills to meet tlm Suit.bland competition and there will lie a saving on accmint ol b-s damage !i the limber in transit. West Coast residents 111- speculating as to ibe effect of the opening of the tunnel. Mr .Lukin i- convinced that, tor one thing, it will he necessary to provide more acc -mniodatioi, ter vi- 1 - tor- in West Coa-t centres. I.akt l\auieri and Lake Brunner lie states, will

be ured largely for week-end coring -. and the un earn lidded scenery all ovoi tbo Coast will attract Canterhiiry holiday makers. Mr .1. Steer, chairman ~l the (IreyinoiiUi Harbour Board. t M hl !d:)! that advice was being -.ought as m improving he liarhour. A large -um would he rerptired to make a harbour a i Point Elizabeth, and it is probable pjuit the activities will result m Hi" improvements to the prcseiii harhoui ut Oreynmiith. The r, ad "etwee" Orcvniouth and Mfstporl. which will >c luvdv drive for tourists, is nearing ci'iniilction. Mr .lenkin is convinced. that in the inicre-tst of the c,mimtnitv. anaiigemcnls should la; m.ioc fer (Li vnioulht pco-.de f "h'am H" freehold of Maori lands available at present only under lease. IVnplc naturn IK arc unwilling to >,c< i expensive buildings on lands bold undd twenty-one year's lease. At the State mine at Dunoliie. M • ,j,. nki!i saw nice hewing coal "" ci-ducra live principle. He ex pen" a'a the far-famed hospitality ol the Con-; and the magnificent' cattle he -„w in the fields Pel him to bed,eve that farming on the Most (.W. »» "•' ll commercial industries, will hegtn. ,I, - Another expected iw-ult the oncniier o! the lunn-1 ;- H"" ,;| the overseas goods lor the \V"st Coast will he landed at Lyttelton and' railed, instead of being shipm'd from \\ clliiigton.