The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1925 SOUTHERY REQUIREMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1925 SOUTHERY REQUIREMENTS.

! I .SPUR.MAT lON il'iilU SO Util \\ I'Silll (1(1 I indicates that liii! two largo undertakings most ini mired .ire lln* extension lit ilie railway beyond Hus.-., and the improvement of the Okarilo lmri.otir. i nlortumitely the settlers are not in ennipli’te agreement ns to these rival works. The Okarilo harbour question affects a limited area primarily, and those on the outer .area of the proposed harhoiir district are not hy ;iny means desirous of being included in any rating area. The harhoiir as a jiuhlie emitcnience and as :i means ol nooning up a Limber trade and establishing an industry, which would he of value to the district, is of course greatly appreciated, hut there is a palpable disinclination of many ol the people resident within the boundaries ol the proposed district to he included ill the rating scheme which it appears inevitable would become the contingent guarantee required hy Ihe Government to unsure the work being undertaken. Those north el Okarilo already served hy road, in particular the Watarna district, seem to he generally opposed to t!ie proposal if liability to rating to he part of the ultimate scheme. The contention from tli.it uiiarter seems to lie that the harbour will not he of great value to tire northern settlers. There is first the tear that the expenditure propose.! will not he adei|uate. and it is not dear it will he .dfeetive. It nd"ipiate and effective, shipping is precarious and uncertain. On the other hand, with motor traflie, transport is certain and speedy. There are not any delays or hold ups of serious consequent ex. The hulk of the produce and the whole of the stock can he transported more cheaply by read, than hy tirst moving it to the port at Okarito. and awaiting favourable shipping. In the eir, umslanccs. then, the folk do : t fee! keen about milking themselves liable for a rate to create a poll. At the same time with the great asset in timber round and about Okarito there is the feeling that the making . of a harbour is a national undertaking necessary in the first instance to tap a National asset. The State may not he disposed to start a national sawmill, hut if facilities for export

were provided by way of the harbour at Okarito. no doubt private enterprise would take advantage of the trade opening, and under reasonable

,'nnditionx of royalties and harbour dues, important industrial development would follow. As the matter stands it seems imperative either to restri' the rating area considered desirable to smaller limits, or to make the whole undertaking a national one it the hopes for a harbor at- Okarito are to come to pass. In regard to the railwav extension there is unanimity of opinion in the south. And there need Ue little wonder on that score. The district was promised the railway, the Government of the day going so far ns to authorise the construction of the line ltv statute. That was away back in ITII. but when a parliamentary vote was passed, the succeeding Government. vetoed the expenditure, and the work has Heen hung ur> since. When private enterprise set about operating the timber belts south of the Mikonni river, the Government was

approached again, and the reply indi-

cated that it was not proposed to extend the line. Then the private enterprise began its own railway construction, and commenced a light line, which is serving its purpose admirably. Incidentally the public derived the benefit- of a bridge over Mikonui river for general traffic, and the millers have arranged to carry the settlers’ goods at reasonable rates. This light line is now being pushed south and i.s destined ultimately to reach nearly to Lake Inutile. Just w<hat the Government will do at this juncture remains to he seen. The southern settlers are anxious to press tor action, and in particular to ask that a promise made to the Fanners' I'nion with regard to a reconnaissance survey as far as the Big Wanganui river, should lie carried out. This would he useful as indicating the cost involved, and the possible revenue to he derived from the carriage of timber aud other goods. Sawn timber will be the chief source of income, hut as there is a private lino installed already, that rival competitor will take from the railway a good deal of the traffic. With grazing, dairying and scenic attractions, the southern traffic should he considerable, and the railway would reap the cream of that traffic. The Government enquiring into the proposition would ensun the economic possibilities of railway connection being made clear, and in the meantime these settlors in the south anxious to see the lino forging its way beyond Loss, should concentrate on collecting all possible information with regard to probable trade which would help to ensure favoural** consideration of the project. The undeitakiug is a large one. hut it will penetrate a district greatly composed of Crown Lands in need of improved access. The Crown Estate will therefore la l improved and enhanced in value, ami efforts in that direction promise to reap a good return. Concentration, therefore, on Government action to investigate the intrinsic value of the extension of the southern railwa should therefore he taken in hand.