DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1928, Page 2

DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT

GROVE’S SWAMP PROPOSITION. Situated between Lake .Maliinapua and the Hokitika river, on the east side of the road to Ross, are some 0,000 acres of swamp land known as Grove’s Swamp. This land originally in the Hokitika Harbour Board endowment area, acquired by Butler Bros Ltd. some few years ago, is now in the hands of a large company and is to be utilised as a llaxmilling proposition.

During the week an official party, including Mr W. T. -Morpeth, Commissioner of Crown Bands, was in the locality regarding official business, and bad an .opportunity of traversing portion of Grove’s Swamp area. Mr Morpeth has expressed surprise at the general excellence of thij area in quesiton. Although nominally a swamp, there is a considerable quantity of good hind, well suited for pasture purposes. The location is opposite the Maori ground on the other side of the Hokitika river, and the quality of the land is equally good. It was a pleasant surprise to find so good an area in what was nominally swamp land, and Mr Morpeth was surprised to find more was not known about its quality and general excellence.

Drainage operations could effect a great deal of improvement to a large extent of the bolding, and with a water course such ns Monts Rivulet running through tile land, drainage works would be facilitated. The proposal to undertake industrial operations in the locality would mean, it was gathered, the employment of about 200 hands, and tlie location being so .close to Hokitika would give a fillip in the matter ol local development. It is understood preliminary work with regard to the flax milling operations will be in hand before the end of the year, so that in the near future a very important district development will lie under way. The land can be served by an extension of the steel tramway from Butler Bros.’ Ruatapu mill, and this will lie quite a convenient outlet, taking the product direct to the railway line. It is certainly very pleasing to find tlie prospects in regard to this development so very promising, and the earlier reports as to the certain value of the land for the purpose intended, so well confirmed by those with a knowledge of the district.