The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, FEB. 16th, 1924. LINKING UP THE SOUTH.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, FEB. 16th, 1924. LINKING UP THE SOUTH.

It is clour from what was disclosed yesterday, that the linking up of the ■’filth country with Hokitika is highly essential for the progress of the lower hall of Westland. This linking up > .in he done hy improved roads and bridges—the highways essential to por- ■ liiritont progress. Of the resources of Westland, minerals are being mined out of existence, and timber is being nit out. There remains the land—the permanent source of wealth. It is highly necessary that this lie used to the tidiest advantage. Access is required in all directions and no doubt many thousands of pounds could bo spent uset.ilty in opening up the country. But it is essential that the arterial roads should he put through and serviceable branch roads provided to meet the demands of growing settlement. South Westland has the promise of a wonderful future, as a pastoral territory. The latent wealth to lie recovered out of »>cf-tland in this particular alone callin t he measured. The most optimistic person can hardly picture what South Westland will he in a couple of decades ii served adequately with urgently required roads and bridges. Attention has been directed to the state of the bridges on the main road which have lefcn allowed to decline into a state c-f disrepair which so restrict normal traffic as to retard natural progress. In addition there are many bridges required which have been promised over and over again, and are still in the air. Indeed, the money has been voted year niter year le. Parliament, and still the cridges do not materialise. This might he considered an amusing farce were :he matter not of such importance to i he district. Progress is held up posinvely by the lack of these bridge erosaugs. A ease in point is that of the A’r.iho, for which the money has been 'cted. and the Minister promised to tan the work. Yet the river unbridg:d rushes seaward daily, a natural ia prior to the progress of the locality. : o with roads required no less urgentKnterprising settlers have ’been i reed to go into remote places to find home. The intervening land has eon taken up, and they have pushed mo the outposts—but are 'without jtuls. A tedious, dangerous way is

found up a difficult riverbed, or round ft rouge. '(.duff by a benrjh route. The location is too remote for families, ana impossible to get tiny produce out except that which can walk out on four legs. For these struggling settlers, essentially in the backbloeks, there is very little help, nowadays. There was a time when Parliament in its wisdom vexed money for the hackhlocks, and a very substantial sum was set aside, and what was more to the point, was spent l'or the -benefit of the hack-block settler. Now Parliament is content to sj>f 11 tl much time, and provide liberal money for main highways in respect to which it is plain there is going to be high administrative costs. If we are

-,o have .settlement, and more settlement and still more settlement, it is plain the government of the day must turn attention to the hack-blocks. I he settler who goes into the remote places to open up the country, deserves all the encouragement he can receive. I.tast of all should lie he afforded fair toad communication, or the Guvernitu lit should not permit the land to he taken tip and the settler isolated and hit to struggle lot an existence. Every rood settler is an asset of the highest value, and the one of the greatest value I-.- the settler in the hackhlocks turning a forest into a paddock, a wilderness into a smiling homestead. ’lhere are many such in South 'Westland, and they should he linked up with the stock markets and the dairy factories.