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Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1924, Page 2

It ia good to learn that the volume of railway traffic east and west is being woP maintained. This remark applies to freight each way, as also to passenger traffic. This is what was expected by those who realised the effect of opening through , railway connection. Ti i re are those of course who decried the line, and probably tlrey will be surprised at the substantial volume of traffic. It is clear that the trafficmust continue to increase. As the trading connections between the two Coasts grow there will he a natural and permanent increase to he added to steadily by the progress of the Coast line! its increasing population. The placing of the freightage and fares cm a uniform scale equal to that of other parts of the Dominion, must he l a helpin'. factor also, and ensure increased tiade for the line. 9ho certainty of lb" line as a. means for speedy transit is a factor which will lie helpful to tiade. It is to lie Imped that the Department will cater for the possible trade with a goixl supply of rolling sleek. Naturally, the native products ol the Coast will require a number of special trucks, been use the fuither the tin her and coal trade penetrates oil Ihe East Coast, the longer will it take for the empties to he returned. There will be tlm need for regular goods' train services to facilitate the quickest return possible. With the through trade W"l' entered for the railway traffic is hound to be an increasing quantity, justifying more and more ns time goes on the policy of completing the line ten tile benefit of the trade to he developed.

j Tiik.ur is no doubt that the timber | uado export from the Coast is bound jto lie an increasing quantity. WestI land in particular will sec better days Ilian ever it lias seen vet in the volume of its timber trade. Timber areas at present unexploited are beginning to he ■orated, and the time is not far distant when there will he a material advance in sawmilling even within a twenty-five nik radius of Hokitika. To the south there will ho for long years to come, steady development and expansion of the timber trade ns time goes on and tiansit facilities arc improved. It is pleasing to know that in. the more immediate domain of Hokitika within the radius above mentioned, there is likely to be a considerable amount spent in tne milling industry. Old established mills are being rebuilt or re-establish-ed and. improved traction is being introduced enabling timber to be brought o' ei longer distances. In addition fresh enterprises are about to set in. There •i one instance in mind where quite a large capital expenditure is to he launched in the timber industry, and Hokitika must be the shipping, centre for the product. Other new expansions are spoken of in the immediate south. Altogether in regard to the timber trade, while there is not going to be any actual boom, there is going to he a steady expansion of the indus-ti-y which must lie helpful to the materia! progress of the town and district, increasing the manufacturing output, and so helping industrial growth materially. The timber resources of the district from now on promiseiCto come more and more into their own.