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Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1928, Page 2

Tiib Automobile Association is agitating for a road connection between kumara Beach road and Awatuna. This road, if constructed, would open up a much shorter route connecting Greymouth and Hokitika. At present a conoderable section. of road between Kumara and Kapitcn (Chesterfield) has been formed. This was in accordance with the promise-of the Prime Minister, who agreed to road access as far as the Chesterfield Settlement, where m addition, a sawmill is operating. There is, however, still somo chains of the road to he formed, some.small bridges are required, and the whole lengtn-re-quires metalling. In addition, Knpitea Creek would have to he bridged/ eventually, lie-low the railway bridge. The work that has been promised is uc a standstill, for the want of funds. We believe, however; there is some iiopc of a grant oil account til is year, hut it is doubtful if it 'will ho sufficient to finish the road through to Chesterfield. The reason of the inadequacy of the funds is that in the official mind there are more important settlement roads to construct, and that in that respect the quota for the district is already absorbed in providing for what are considered the more urgent works. According to this it will he somo time before the road will be opened to Kapitea," wliile the delay in legaid to a further extension is quite indefinite, clue to the ministerial view opposing any further extension as helloing 'so the road would come more and more into competition with tho railways. The motoring organisations have therefore a considerable hurdle to overcome to surmount the departmental objection to a work which would bring about ft conflict affecting tho railway returns. Still, in these more modern times, when speed is everything the process of shortening stages is going on everywhere". We hear of the Coast l-oiul between Westport and Greymouth. The desire tor the Coast road further south is natural. The original road to Greymouth went round Marsden, a. round about route, aiid tho desire for a change was realised when the Paron-Tereinakau road came. The desire in respect to the Kumara-Awa-tuna road, too, will he satisfied in time, but enthusiasm and enterprise will help towards the end. One way to hasten the .shorter route would ho the offer of local finance. The apportionment of this burden would Im> the initial difficulty unless a. toll gate or other charge on actual users was enforced, hilt no doubt a subsidy offered locally would aid the speedy construction of the road, and it is. through that-.chan-nel the motorists and others concerned must work if they wist! to sec alien' objective achieved within a reasonable time.

Tun feature column in the Argus on the Member for Westland still continues in its humorous vein. The humour lies in the fact that the Argus still considers Mr Seddon should vote for any and all Labour amendments in Parliament, irrespective of the national consequences. If this were as tiie Argils demands, then Mr Seddon might as well sit under file lied Flag and lie done with it. But Mr Seddon is not of revolutionary bent, and is ,not disposed to vote for any and, all Labour .proposals. They would lead the country quickly to financial chaos, and Mr Seddon is assisting ■to save New Zealand from that fate, and that he is doing it successfully seems to annoy the Argus—as might he expected. The Argus, in its latest,' questions Mr Seddon’s voto on some division in 1926, when he opposed a Labour amendment regarding wages for railway workers being brought up to the 1921 standard. The Argus naively adds: “The (Labour) amendment was heavily defeated.’’ This fact indicates how futile the amendment was in the judgment of tlie House, and it seems to us altogether satisfactory, that in a division, so overwhelming, Mr Seddon should vote for sanity and safety. The fact that ho did not vote otherwise commends his good judgment to all who are prepared to look at the issue at stake from the national point of view, and not the personally political. Mr Seddon invariably votes with .sound common sense to justify his attitude.