WAKING UP.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1924, Page 1

WAKING UP.

RIP VAN AYINKI/F. AAESTLAND. (Christchurch ‘‘Truth.") A generation ago AA estlaud lilted £1.1.5(10,000 worth of gold out of the earth, that being the return for 1801187 G. Every fortnight to-dav the American dredge at Rimu Elat, near Hokitika, pockets 900 ounces of gold. The future of AA’estland as a gold producer is as promising under expert management as in the past it has been romantic. Those who rushed to the Goldc-n AA'est in the ’sixties braved starvation, floods, and rough life to share in the rich harvest, and there is erected to their memory a tiibutc few stop to appreciate. It is a monument. not of granite, hut of a highly prosperous people.

The idea in promoting a South Seas Exhibition at Hokitika, which opened there and runs for at least six weeks, is highly commendable, and deserves to be a Inigo success, ft will ho visited by crowds from Australia and all parts of New Zealand, some to renew acquaintance with the scenes of an heroic age. others to explore the possibilities of Westland. To those may lie left the duty of informing their friends of the wonders they will see. But to others not fortunate enough to he able to travel it may ho of interest to trace briefly the prospects of this almost virgin territory. Timber nulling produces millions ol feet weekly, and almost every day at Groymouth ships are loading consiilciiihle cargos lor Australia or the north. There are GO mills at present in operation, the trade being one of the f ‘" v that has not fallen entirely into the hands of largely capitalised concents. Totnra. niatai, white pine, and red pine are yet to he had in vast areas. Of minerals, coal and gold idler an immensely attractive tnture for capital. Marble is abundant, and of excellent quantity, that from Gaswell Sound competing against Daly and other marble producing ionntlies, taking first prize at ihe Sydney and Christchurch Exhibitions. Copper, iron, and antimony ores are abundant. It. only wants enterprise to establish vast industries to work them. AA’ater power for electric energy is oil ovorv hand.

As a dairying country AA estlaud la already becoming the Denmark of the South Island. Land is ridiculously cheap, ranging from £8 to £3O an acre for the lies! dairying land. The cheese from one factory has lor three successive years taken the highest price, in the London market, factories are springing up every whore from GrcvniouHi to Okiira l.»‘d to the south. The climate i- warm and rather like that of Taranaki, being warmed by tile ocean current that comes from the Queensland coast. The farthest south point—Oluirn—is no further south than Timaru. And let ft bo known, that the impressions ol AA estlaud taken from a ride in the train are wholly false and misleading, like most of the notions about the AA'est Coast. The railway runs through rough mountain passes and swamps. It does not touch the rich plains at Kok.ttahi.. Kanien. Malania, Mari llari. Bruce Bay. Dkura, 1,,- the scores of other settlements where settlers have grown wealthy. 'ITio beef produced in AYcstlaiid is considered by experts to ho the most perfect to he found in New Zealand, excelling in flavor and texture the best that tin M airarapn. or Southland can

prodnee. For enterprising young men no cheaper land nor more promising prospects ran he found throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand than in AA’estland. and this is the considered opinion of one who from an intimate knowledge has no hesitation in making the recommendation.

As for the wider outlook, the A\ est Const is suffering from a. want of the courage that characterised its founders. and their lack ol vision is equally unfortunate. It does not. require much imagination to see a large eity at Grey mouth or Hokitika*—whichever gets in first with its harbor. Many will remember the lute C. A - *> l “iinnr. who went from the AA'est Coast and in three years changed the twelveinch bar at Fremantle into a thirtysix feet harbor. Greyinouth even hum has twenty-six feet of water on the bar, but its capabilities for harbormaking have not yet- boon dreamed of. AA'iih its mineral wealth, and offering as il now does a western door for Canterbury and Otago, there is nothing i! id i kel v in ils In 'oimiiig the busiest harbor in the South Island, and transacting all the Australian trade. AA'nke up. AA'est la nd 1 Get busy and advertise ytmr advantages.