The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1928. DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1928. DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT.

i At the last two meetings of the Coun--1 ty Council, besides on former occasions 1 in the press, there has been considerable discussion regarding the opening of a road to connect the Lower Poerun and Lower Wataroa rivers by a new route. In the early days the connecting point between these two rivers in South Westland was by the seabeach route, and the Saltwater Lagoon which intervenes, was a notable halting place in the early days. It is referred to by Von Haast and other early explorers who were struck by its beauty and the facilities there were for a natural camp. The new route which has caused so much discussion, is behind the Saltwater Lagoon, somewhat inland, hut following level country almost out to the Wataroa. The route traverses country which in the early days was pierced by a track blazed by Olias Douglas, another of the early day explorers, the track in question reaching down to some alluvial country. Howover, despite the early day operations, the territory for some time past has been neglected, if not forgotten. The new route is intended to open up this tract of country which is said to he about six miles across between the two rivers. On the face of it, it is difficult to understand why the opening up of the country should be opposed. Between the sea beach and the main road over Mount Hercules, there are many miles intervening and the country is isolated and lost to possible settlement for the want of access. This new route taps the country, affords egress, and gives connection with the Harihari settlement on the one hand and Lower Wataroa on the other. The objective seems to he an excellent one. Tho objections which come entirely from the Matainui settlers, are that the road is not required and will not be used by them, that it will not shorten the route to market for the southern drovers; and that what settlers there are at Lower Wataro are served already with convenient roads. These objections appear to l>e rather parochial. Because the present population at Matainui do not require the roads is hardly sufficient reason to block a road which would serve a tract of new country, the development of which cannot be realised till reading is available. It appears to us that a tract of new country some six miles wide and five miles deep in South Westland is worth opening up as a future national asset. Apart from the convenience of access to bo given to certain settlors, tho considerable area of country to he served, looking to tho general conditions of similar , areas opened up in the southern dis- ( trict, is certainly worth some special consideration. There are always territorial advantages in opening up new

country, and hero we'have a considerable oxpanso of timber lands similar in general features to a great deal of tho land up and down the Coast, and it would bo neglecting a duty to those who come after, when the facilities for opening up the country are brought under notice if that duty -were neglected. As the position now stands, the County Council has agreed to support the dedication of the road. That is a first step; but having gone that far, there is the larger obligation of seeing the country affected brought into touch with the neighbouring settlements by making a start with the road construction. The general features of the position are such that the opening up of the country should now become a matter for early attention.