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Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1924, Page 2

Tnl: decision of the Minister of Public tv'orks to see that the main South road is plated in .satisfactory order for the traffic of the district, without undue restrictions or regulations governing the general traffic, as conveyed to the County deputation at Wellington last week is to be commended. The stop is long overdue, seeing that the southern locality is without railway communication. There is also the .fact that tho Government is imposing a very high vehicle tax on heavy traffic and in return for the large fees demanded should do something practical to meet the needs of the local traffic. Pending suitable harbor accommodation along the const line, it is essential that a road suitabb' for the traffic of an expending district should bp provided. All have faith in the progress of the south, and its advancement would be helped greatly by providing the first-ctlass highway the,Minister seems to have in mind. As the road is a.t present, with the volume of traffic restricted by regulations, ami a high license fee imposed. southern development is retarded. It is a step in the right direction to have the road improved materially and made equal to the requirements of the district. The road is part, of the main liiglivay of iho

Dominion and is under the control of tne Public Works Department. The Highways Board which has supreme > control in these matters, is provided with funds for arterial roads. and there should l>e no difficulty about the tinaiue if the Hon. Minister gives explit it instructions in regard to the • work. Lately the Department has had in hand the construction of two concrete bridges over ravine creeks. One substantial bridge is finished, and the other is well advanced. No doubt other similar work will bo undertaken. In view of the opinion given out- by the Minister, steps should be taken for the general improvement of the road surface, including widening and regrading wlpere required. The bridging of smaller streams such as Dry Creek, ami the quartette of smaller creeks nearby, as well as McDonald's Creek on the Wailio road, are works required urgently for the general convenience and facility of traffic. The i road is all imnortant to tho advancement of the district and all expenditure will lie helpful and tend to he f more and- more reproductive for the 1 benefit, of the district. It is a clear case where n good road will spell pros- ® perity and tho bettor the road tho more * prosperous tho South will grow.

The need for a harbor for South “Westland is a matter wlneh is doming more and more to the surface. As the nortlTorn part of the district becomes more and more depleted of timber the necessity for shipping facilities further south arises. There are many belts of magnificent timber remote beyond the present rail-head, and far-remov-ed from existing sawmills, with difficult river crossings in between. Some of the finest forests in Westland tire to be found in the south, including timbers of special value not so readily available in the northern district. Oharito presents natural features for harbor improvements, and in its vicinity. is a widc'prcading range of forestry country, stretching both north and south. The claims of Okarito take precedence in any harbor scheme for which flic funds arc available, and the time is opportune for the Gov. ernment of the day to turn some attention to the matter. It op orts obtained in the past deal with various suggestions affecting an improvement at Okarito where them are certain facilities with the large lagoon at hand to provide shipping accommodation for a fleet of scows to deal with the timber trade which will he established in the south. It was suggested at the last meeting of the local .Progress I -vague that a report should Ik- obtained from a .Marine Doj ailment officer regarding possible shipping [mils in the .southern district. “We hope this suggestion will be pressed with tile object of having a close inspection made of the Const-line say as far as Bruce Bay. It is not sufficient that the pigeon holes should be examined for [last reports. but that tin* whole quest inn should be reopened afresh, and the position examined on its merits. The export of timber would be such that an extra royalty charge of a few pence per thousand feet "would recoup Iho capital cost of a not extravagant scheme. In relation to the Okarito proposal there has been the offer of the people themselves to meet taxation to defray the cost involved, but the uatuial produce of the district would more than meet the interest on the capital cost, under a comprehensive proposal. An independent report csnild go into the question of a harbour at Okarito or a deep sea shipping port further south where there are said to be facilities for comparatively cheap construction. The prospects of the South are such that its ultimate requirements in regard to a ImrhoHr should not la* overlooked.