The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1926. THE COAST ROAD.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1926. THE COAST ROAD.

It was certainly a notable decision of j the Duller County Council to plump for the Coast road in preference to the Duller Gorge railway, and to ask that the vote for the latter might l«e transferred to the former to ensure the speedy completion of the highway connection I a.'t woe u West port and Greymouth. It would appear in viewing the matter at this distance that the Duller County Council has made a virtue of necessity. The members have come to realise that the completion of the railway is in the very remote future, long after the time of the present generation. Looking at the present railway policy of the Government in regard to construction work we should say that the AAest-port-Inangalnia railway is a dead letter. The Government on the advice of the late Railway Commission, presided over by Sir Samuel Fay, is bent evidently oil concentrating on the East Coast trunk railway as the main railway work to complete in the South Island. The Nelson railway may be pushed oil slowly towards Murchison, hnt we seek little hope of the Duller Gorge railway being advanced substantially, and little or none if any hope of a AAiest Coast trunk railway. Those are conclusions forced hv the present set of circumstances, and there is nothing on the horizon to suggest that any material change in the outlook will present itself for a considerable time to come. AYliile waiting for the Duller Gorge railway to materialise another factor has developed which affects the situation also. Afotor traction and transport arc altering th.e business aspect of railway revenue. The Duller line would be useful for the transport of goods of a heavy class. Afo tor transport would seriously menace the railway in respect to light goods and passengers. The economic aspect suggests that the Duller line is likely to be long deferred. But with the Coast road there is the provision of a line of access which can be operated by motor traction, which would lie of great public and coinmer- ; cial value to Coast communities ns soon as it was opened. The Coast road would spring at once into popular usage. and lend to AVestport being removed from the present category of dead end. Once means for through traffic were provided the town of AVestport would feel an immediate and lasting benefit. So far as passenger traffic would he concerned, the Coast road would lie of more benefit to the town than the railway and the road would have its bearing and usefulness on other Const towns, all of which would derive a benefit from increased facilities for transport. According to all accounts comparatively little is required in the way of roadmaking to link the two end of tVuncompleted road. The bridging is t’ -0 chief problem, and that of course could be readily overcome with money. This being so. the sensible nature of the Duller County Council suggestion is at once apparent. The transfer of the railway vote would .supply the wavs and means to complete very speedily a road connection which would materially alter conditions for AVestport frorr. the very outset, and some other centres in no mean way. The change is a radical one, for heretofore the Bnller

people have agitated aggressively for the railway and very general support has been given by sister towns. There is hardly likely to be unanimity about the new move, hut the more it- is considered the more will the expediency of the proposal commend itself. The distinct has a great deal to gain at once by the speedy completion of the roa& connection, whereas the advantages of the railway connection will be long deferred because of the enormous cost to complete the line. Looking at the position from afar, it would appear that the P,idler district has much to gain by the completion of the Coast road at the earliest possible moment, and thereafter the district should concentrate on the maintenance of tin?, harbour in first class condition for Hie mineral trade the district can supply.