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Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1926, Page 2

Tin: correspondent at Okuru who wrote so enthusiastically in our issue of Wednesday last in regard to tinland and stock in the very lar south of Westland, supplied excellent evi deuce for a fuller consideration of tilt Jackson Bay development .scheme. Though the Jackson Bay area is tar re moved from Big Bay and Martins Bay. the fact of a loading and settlement .scheme with harbour improvements sclose at hand will create an era o! civilisation which must lellcct itsell on the- territory further south. Its remoteness at present renders it practically unknown, yet with a genera! knowledge of Westland as it stretches south, it is not difficult to realise what tie (ountrv will tie like. It will be a replica in general features of the uniform Coast and that implies that it will be heavy bush country, with river and flats and it should possess nine'' latent mineral wealth. fts isolatior has remlcnrtl it a great natural reserve and it awaits only a means of aeeesto open up the country to lead on l< its permanent development. The Government is to send a party south next month to investigate the Jackson Ha.' scheme. The area ofrthnt scheme cov ers the intervening land between Jackson Bay and the llaast. The visiting officers to go south are expected to include representatives of the Public Works. Bands, Forestry. Mines and Tourist Departments, and it is to hr hoped the delegation will turn some at tention to the Cascade-Big Bay terri torv south of Jackson Bay. The land further to the south "ill he eventually a feeder for .Jackson Bay. and if a beginning can be made soon the early future should have brightening prospects for Westland. Something has been said this week in these column* regarding great timber resources to hexploited as national assets. In ti' region referred to there is a vast ston of foro-t wealth ami much ot it within reasonable reach ot such a fine harbuui as Jackon Bay. On the score ot tin limber trade alone the whole project has alluring prospects and when we read of the pastoral possibilities of tin territory, evidenced by the splendid stock which comes from that region, we must realise more and more the latent possibilities of Westland. ‘‘The best is yet to be " for Westland, and f lint can be realised v. 1.-ll and a- small as the real de\ elojimcni of the di.sl.riei takes place hv opening up the country, and giving opportunity for industrial development. Then there will be room for settlement, more settlement and still more settlement in Westland, foi the best days arc vet to come.

Accoiiihnc to Christchurch papers arrangements are in hand to afford school children an opportunity to visit Dunedin Exhibition under very favourable circumstances. The railway fare from Christchurch is about Ins return. The children have to he in parties of 20 in charge of two adults travelling at the same rate. Accommodation is to he provided al Dunedin under Ihe direction of the authorities, and it is estimated that £2 per head will cover all costs, including three days at the Exhibition. As the display is highly educational and is of a character which should he patronised by the growing population, we hope something will be done to enable parties from the Westland schools to visit the Exhibition. Tlie display is to run (ill May 1. in the interval there will he the Easter liolidnvs. To inspect the British and Canadian Courts is said to lie an education in itself, apart altogether from what Die young ean learn of their own country at the provincial courts in the display of New Zealand industries. Such being the case the matter of getting representative parties of the rising Westland population to the Exhibition might well be taken in hand by those connected with educational matters in the district.