SOUTH WESTLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1924, Page 4

SOUTH WESTLAND.

PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT. INVESTIGATION BY PROGRESS LEAG UE. CHRISTCHURCH, Dee. 20. An informal meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League was held yesterday afternoon to hear J)r Teiehelmann, of Jlokilikn, describe some proposals for the development of the extreme portion of South 5\ estland, .Mr A. F. Wright presided, and there were also present Messrs IL Holland, V. Guss, G. Kingscote, and P. R. Clintie, the organiser for the League. The chairman, in stating the object of the meeting, said that there was no greater authority on South Westland than Dr Teichelnianii, who desired to lay belore the League proposals for the opening up of large tracts of land in the southern part of Westland. Dr Teiehelmann said that at two or three of the latest held meetings ol the Westland Committee of the League they had been discussing the development of lower South Westland, and he hail been deputed to place the matter before the executive and ask for its support and also to try to persuade two or three members of the executive to visit the district with some members of the Westland Committee of the League. The Tutanekai was expected to leave Groymuuth for Jackson’s Bay some time in February, and the suggestion was that the party might travel south on her and return overland, or over the llaast Pass. The area proposed to he developed extended from, the llaast river to Jackson's Bay and the Cascades containing 'JULIOS acres, as compared with 2,9.'i0,(>90 acres for the remainder of Westland. Jackson’s Bay was practically the only natural harbour on the West Coast of the South Island apart from the Sounds. A submerged rocky ridge existed two or three miles from tho shore, from Jackson’s Head to the Open Bay Island and formed a sort of inland sea : tile only time is was unsafe for steamers to lie oil' the shore was when north-east winds sometimes made rough water, hut that was not very frequent. At present the population of the extreme south of Westland was sparse*, owing to the isolation of the district. The proposal that the League was asked to i(insider was the construction of ail inland road to connect Oktirn with Jackson’s Bay. 21 miles. The estimated cost was C70,- ■ 10(1, including the cost of bridges over the Okurn and Turnbull rivers. The dnirv land in occupation in the dis-

tricts was 9000 acres; there were 11. non acres of wet land, and 8000 acres of dry land both capable of being brought into profit, and there was an estimated area of 1000 acres between WniaLoto and Cascade: total .‘12.000 acres. There were also 100.000 acres of country suitable for cattle and sheep runs, mostly high country. It was estimated that there was a total ol 800,200. (100 superficial feet of milling timber in the district consisting ol rimu, kahikatea. silver pine, totara. beech and matai. The swampy land was similar in character I■* the llari I lari swamp land. The .list riel, was highly mineralised. In this connexion Dr Teiclietmami handed to members present a reprint of an article oil the subject which appeared in tile columns o I" The Press” in I*7, during the currency of the lin erna t ioiia I Exhibition. He said that the country had never been prospected to any extent ami it was impossible to say to wlml extent tin* dilferenl minerals existed; lint there acre coal and gold and alinost uverv known mineral. The coimtrv was more suitable lor eultle than sheep, h’.tl sheep were run oil the country about the hush line for eight mouths in the year. There were deposits of lime at Jackson’s Bay which would be of value in bringing the swamp lauds into profit. 'I In* only na\ to make the region available lor settlement was tin* enlist motion ol a road from Okiirn to Jackson's Bay. Several questions dealing with matters of deta.il were answered by Dr. Teiehelmann. .Mr (loss said that the proposals submit led deserved the serious consideration ol the League ami Dr. Teiehelmann had done a good thing in bringing lliem before the League. lie suggested that the League’s organiser should try to arrange for a party lo visil tin? region.

It was decided, on the million of .Mi loess, seconded by .Mr Holland. lo thank Dr Teiehelmann for bringing the matter before the League. It was lelt to lhe oigtiiser in see il he could arrange for some members of the executive to visit the district. .Mr Climic said that one member ol the executive, who had been unable to attend the Hireling, had expressed a desire to make one of a party, so tiiat tin* prospects of the party being arranged were quite healthy. Dr Teiehelmann undertook to get certain infurmatiun lor the party and also to get from the Marine Department, if possible, a report regarding the possibilities of Jackson’s Bay as a harbour.