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Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1927, Page 2

The reply of the Min iter of Public Works regarding the road to link Franz Josef Glacier, in Westland, with Maknroa, in Otago, by way of liaa.st Pass,' was before the County Council yesterday, Mr Soddon having sent the letter forward for general iiilnrnmtion. and the full text of the reply is published in this issue. The information conveyed is interesting, but the Minister’s final conclusions will not bo acceptable generally. He reaches the conclusion that in his opinion the road, particularly the portion between Hanst and Maknroa,. which would be purely a tourist road, is not warranted at present.” The Minister’s survey of the position detailed, as it is, takes no account in a. comparative way of expenditure of a similar nature in other parts of the Dominion. For instance, the Government lias constructed a track at great cost to Milford, purely for tourist traffic., and to encourage the traffic lias now set apart £IO,OOO for a hostel. That sum is merely for initial expenditure, and wo may expect the outlay to go on indefinitely for the hostel is never likely to pay its way. There is another aspect in that this year the Government has taken a large vote of £55,000 in the public works votes for roads to outlying districts, and it would he interesting to know where that large sum is to go Pushing the road south from Wniho means die opening up of the Crown Estate, for the hulk of tho territory is Crown Lands. A very fine settlement iirca at Cook’s river has been going to seed because of its isolation, yet it is well-known that the settlers established there have fine properties and are doing, well. One of their number is building n large hostel at his own expense, to cater for tourist traffic which the Minister is rather disposed to despise. And below Cooks ther are the successive .settlements which are all hampered by want of proper access. The deviation at Cook’s and Knrangnrua rivers are now essential works in the life of tho progress of South Westland, and they are both works which very properly should range under heading of roads to give access to outlying districts for which, as remarked above, there is a substantial appropriation. A beginning must he made very soon with road development in the south, for if lias been denied railway access, and roads, tho next best means for transport, were promised by .Mr Coates when Minister for Public "Works. The subject is one which must he kept in mind, and it is for the local body and all concerned to keep the matter prominently under notice.