WESTLAND WORKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1925, Page 1

WESTLAND WORKS.

SHEK<' 11 BY .MEMBER KOIt WK-TI.AXI). (('nutieiiNod •) Spriikinji 4 >ll |S:*‘ PuMie Works Kstimates last"week. Mr .1. O'Brien, M.P.. strongly advocated that the Governlacni pav moi'i' attention to the development ol the West Coast. Although, llie hour \va- late, the -M- ie.ber to! Westland did not apologise lor taking up the time of the House while he ent iei-ed the go-slow policy of the Govcriilar.lit as regards ti e necessary public works, and the need for further development work living done. Ibe metnbei also bad a Ming at tile I’rime Minister for the attitude be took tip in the matter of the petition v. liieh was presented to him signed by 'OH people prole-l-

ing against the change over from hydro to steam by the Grey Power Hoard. Mr O’Brien wen: on to speak of the Public Work- Statement : The -Minister -avs, "Ours i- a voting land, and but partially developed. Our prosperity, both in town and country, depend- on the. successful marketing of our primary products. l\ e are lar liom via world’s market.” etc., and s o on. \\ e are not complaining in Westland at getting less than anywhere else, but our complaint is that tile amount alloratevl t- too small lor the development o| the < mint ry. A limit two liumlretl miles "I the southern porlimi oi Westland is pracli, ally undeveloped. It is a very beautiful remit ry. and it the same amount of ai tculiou was pai<l to it as to portions ~j ihe North Island, then Wcst);l 11, | wo u I 1 be quite a- productive as some of the good land in Cue North

|Hi ml. But iu t lie southern portion ol Westland, all hough the laud i- ol

1 1,, t!, v lanm-is i;(is "illy grow v 1 1:11 will walk "lit. mill tl"' etnck Ikis to he <irivmi liver 100 mill's. i - '" miles .1 v.liii-li i- .1 V'*ry rough track. Tins mr;i it’s ‘ th:i t tli'' lanm.M’rs haw maii\ liard-ldp-, i" i "ill"nil u iih mill lim e a list!*• I .aggie t.. keep going. *Tlie itir ( hrislehurch South said t liat llie |araiei's are riv al > growling. Well il il.e lam. meinker wa> siliek up "u ~,me of tlie river Hals ami had to e.irry Ills erealil "Ui l" il'" roadway "it Ids ,;i<• k. or ,-ieigll il out ' hrmiirll ll " 1 ' tomlc-s line |,"!e:- l;e would do a kll "I i ;ri m liny I,iin.mil'. As far a- ill" larniI. they deceive more con.-ideral i"ii than lliey liave keen eelline, pai-li. Vitaliy lk"s-- in that pm'lnm ~, tic t-tmiili v I lia vi- relei ret I I". . af,- roads in We-tland that are I,, mallet!, and require Imishing and linking up "iI It other mads so lliai l!:ey iide:lil k,- ui seme use I" lie- 1ariu,.,.,',,,1 |„,t| t 5i,|,... km lie it y"i i 1 ;:11 ilnilt*. il no,lid ke a tail 1 kill- il a radv,v had keen con.-lrileted I" South West la 11. I instead "I leaving It l" a sail-mill citnipany t" construct a prival-. line. Itcer-nt ly a deputation waited oil tile Prime .Minister and the Minister of Marine asking for an improvement l" lit" kart,our at Okarito. We Here informed that the neressal ,\ work could ke ‘lolie for CUiJHMf and the Minister said if tin's Mere st) lie would m-onmieiid a grant ol llml ninoilnl : kilt tlie Public Works engineers said tlie work would cost 020.000 to improve the harhour suflioieiilly to allow small koats to trade there with safety, and they w.-re not prepared t" rcronimeml that amount. The position then, in connection with Okarito ami Wataroa. and other prolific porof West land, is that the (lovertimenl will imt consider the question of providing a railway there; tlm road w too la I' away, rind we cannot get a Inn-hour without the expenditure of a | \ large sum of money, with the result that the adjacent district i- in a poor was indeed. There is very line land j„ the district in addition to the best forests in Xcw Zealand, and if those forests were exploited, and a railway Hue constructed. <>r harhour improvements carried out. the carriage ol the timber would pay handsomely indeed. What I object to is the way in which the ttoveriimeiit attempts to get roads to outback farmers. We have s ,,rne very title land ml the West ( oast on which fanners have made tm.ir homes. Tho.v first made their homes there and asked for roads afterwards. Where it is a matter of linking up tW o roads so that farmers can get nei" the market--, then surely the whole of the money should he expended. and the work pushed on quicker than is the case at the present time. It is ,me of the drawbacks,of the Most faost that wo have ends of roads leadin,, nowhere, with the result that the people cannot use what is instructed. T would urge on flic Oovernmon. the snoe.lv comnlc-tion ol these roads.