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Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1924, Page 2

It is satislactory to learn, a.s was dis-clo-eil at tile County meeting this week, that the Government is assisting in a practical way with regard to ihe restoration of the piincipal bridges on the Ross road. When the Government handed the road over to the local body some eighteen months or >o ago, the bridges wen* reported to be in a very uiis.alisfnetory state. ’I lie County

Council made frequent appeals for help, but the assistance at the outset was not too liberal. It will he ronicinheied that one of the bridges actually collapsed under the traffic. Interim assistance was given to deal with the most urgent work, hut now after further np| licatiou, which was .supported hv the MemlK'r for Westland (who made a tour of the road w ith the County Chaii limn) a substantial grant lias been made. No doubt the local body will put the several winks in hand as soon as possible. There rue many bridges all along the nulls;, -which since motoring has become the vogue, are very much in use. It is important that the bridges he kept it]) to a satisfactory standard, as the road itself is the main feeder for all traffic passing to and from South Westland. The amount of money available, however, is so limited, that the bridges to be leconsti'ncted will require to he rebuilt in wood. It would he more satisfactory, seeing that tin* road is now part of the main highways of New Zealand, if the bridges weie icbtiilt in more | v_ manent material. The road. linking Up South Westland as it does. i> one which will in- alums a highway of importance and essential for general traflic. That being so the time is ripe for undertaking the construction of the bridges in concrete. Some of the minor bridges on the south road which have to he rebuilt are to be so treated, and it would lie as well were the money available* to nut the Ross road bridges in similar permanent material.

» v.nv little is heard of prospecting for gold these times, hut the subject was revived at the late County meeting when there was an application for n Government subsidy sent forward for consideration. Tt is remarkable that a territory such as the West Coast so highly mineralised, is not more intimately explored in search for the treasure which undoubtedly exists. From time to time the Government lias

forecasted a policy, hut since the Geological Department dropped its outdoor research work and mineral surveys, there lias not been any legitimate effort to prove either positively or nega-

tively wluit golden treasure. or otherwise, remains dormant up and down the Coast. The prospects in regard to an important find are so encouraged that the task should he* undertaken in a systematic nay. Coder the reconnaissance surveys carried out hv Dr. Bell and his successors, -nnicli valuable information as to the mineral resources of the country was recorded. S*> far as can he gleaned that material is now all carefully docketed in pigeonholes at Wellington. This is the day of ltuy a I Commissions, and we would fain see one more added of experts to con over the geological reports and decide whore host a definite system of prospecting might he undertaken, and the opinions given by the geologists in the past proved or disproved. A very large expenditure need not he contemplated. In these days of ready millions. a few thousands of pounds for so desirable a purpose would Is? a wise expenditure. The ultimate result if one goldfield were opened, or fresh coal or other measures disclosed, to say nothing of other minerals which might lie discovered, would recoup the expenditure many hundreds of times over. The mining interests of the country are being sadly neglected these times. The day was when the goldfields' members in Parliament were a force to he respected. Nowadays they arc seldom heard of. Seeing that Parliament i* to meet so soon, it would he well weie some of the goldfields' memheis to get together, and hv co-operation tone upon Parliament reasonable attention to the latent resources of the Dominion in regard to its mineral possibilities.