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Hokitika Guardian, 21 August 1923, Page 2

Tmk need for an effective alteration to the present necessity ini| osed on railway passengers from this district, overlauding Fast and West, of changing carriages at (ireyinoutb should be pressed till relief is obtained. It is a stupid arrangement resulting in loss of tune to the railway service, and inconvenience to the travelling public. It is resented by travellers from this end for the reason that upon detraining 111 Greymouth, a stay of linTT an hour or more must he endured on a cold, ble.iK platform. Luggage has to be lm.ll tiled and rehandled, and in the absence of porter.'i, the public whether old or young, have to fend for themselves as best- they can. Tiavelleis from the ether side have an experience no less satisfactniy. What they have to pass through is discouraging to through traffle. ami must operate adversely to tourist traffic. Here is the centre whence tourist traffic must, always radiate, yet the Government railways will not supply a. through ear tinge connection. It is a reflection on the policy ot ndminiHiintion, and creates a condition which is not a credit to those responsible lor t.ho railway management. It is to lie nibped that the efforts now being made to induce the authorities to grant a more satisfaetorv through service will bear the ft nit w hich is so desirable.

VcTnt.u. expansion in Hokitika r- being restricted t,-> a considerable extent by a shortage of sections. The matter has been mentioned before. It cropped up at. the late municipal election, when the suggestion was made to utilise some of the civic sections or reserves at present unused or unoccupied. The present is a fitting time for action in this matter, seeing that more buildings would he going forward it land at a rcMS'inable rate were on the market. 'Pile limited area of available land has caused the price of choice sections to become unduly inflated. In some instances quite a false value has been created by the present demand for sections exceeding tho supply, and so it would dat to the advantage of the municipality in more ways than one, to see additional building land made available for building sites. The Borough Council has reserves in good situations capable of being used for residential quartets if the land were drained and roadod. It is not large undertaking and it would be a remunerative matter to take up. The town must continue to grow and facilities to expand should he provided by the local authority when it has within its own boundaries the land capable of being used for the purpose here referred to.

Arttoros of the matter just referred r.o, it does seem to be a matter ol regret taut a considerable area like I’ark reserve ou tlie suburbs of the town, cannot be utilised for any better purpose than an unsightly rubbish depot. Complaints in regard to the offending nature of the 'deposit were made some time ago. and the municipal authorities made some effort to mitigate the nuisance by covering up some of the unsightly collection of debris shot at the point referred to. But there is again cause for complaint, for the sight is once more offending to the eye. lho rubbish dejwt might well be selected in a more secluded spot, and certainly one more suitable for the purpose. It is on the margin of a main road, and on the level of the road. There is nothing to hide or camouflage the unsightly deposit. The situation is not at all creditable to the authorities. It occupies a portion of » reserve which as the town grows should have a letting value. Were tho area drained now it would be in demand for grazing purposes and later would be available lor building on. The drainage of the reserve does not present any engineering' difficulties, and with tlie assistance of those holding neighbouring areas, could no doubt, bo carried out at fi not unreasonable cost.