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Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1929, Page 4

DiiiiiNfi tin 1 visit; of lion. Mr Hansom (.Minister of Public Works) to Central Otago, lie was interviewed at Cromwell. -Mr H. DI. -Mackay brought up the matter of the early completion of the Hawea-West Coast road, via Haast Pass. The people of the Upper Cluthn would like to see more energy put into t.lu>se works. Me was glad to he able to say that something had been done in ■connection wiLli the road from Hawca Flat to .M.akaroa, and he felt sure that if the Government only knew how greatly the development of a vast area of country would he facilitated by the completion of the road it would very readilv see the necessity for finishing : the job at the earliest possible moment. Tl e completion of the road would assist in the opening of a great region that was now virtually lying idle. There was another reason, too. why no time should be lost. The Dominion depended to a very large degree on its tourist traffic, and some of its greatest scenic resorts were in this district, and would he lappcddiy the Haast-road which would provide tourists with a round tour of the South Island that would bo second to none in-the Dominion. Then there was another aspect of the case that was worth considering. There was substantial settlement in the back country of this district, notably in the Oleum, and the settlers there, bv reason of the great pioneering work they lum done, were entitled to expect the Government to provide them with communication with tlie outside world. Such communication would compensate (hem in a large measure for the great lumlshins with which they had to con tend. Dll' W. B. Steel (secretary of the Otago Expansion League) also spoke on this subject. lie said they would like to have a statement of the Government’s intentions in respect to tliis road. Had the late Dir Seddou not died so unexpectedly they would not have had to come before the -Ministers that day. He would have completed the work many years ago. -Mr Hansom, in reply to these speakers, said that the work on this road was progressing favourably. I here "Oic now about 10 men engaged on the job, - and the department was simply wait- 1 ing for the finish ol the harvesting season lie fore it engaged teams and men to carry on. If was intended t- 1 1 take, elf the men at- present at work •' on the eastern stretch at which they 1 were busy, and put them on the more < difficult sections, so that as much as -‘ possible of the really heavy work would ■ lie completed before the winter. The t prospect of development in the district 1 the road would serve, and the eon- t viction that the Dominion’s tourist ( trallie was hound to benefit, would be | strong inducements to the Govern- 1 ment to lose no tilin' oil the job. . f