The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1929. ANOTHER PORTAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1929. ANOTHER PORTAL.

inx public .spinled peop.o 01 inangahua uc.sci .e coiimioi.datiinn ior t..cir eiioii* lu luing under prominent notice tile facilities kn' iransp.it and traliie i.v wav or tiie Lewis saddle into Aoriii Canterbury. Anotlior portal for tlu eoast will e a useful adjunct to tlie material progress of tiie district as a whole. For far too long the Coast has been a country largely apart from auicr parts of the South island, and the district Juts not had the same opportunity for general advancement as other centres, it was not till the coming of the East and West Coast railway that any measure of practical justice was clone the West Coast. We aiiow Jiow tardy that relief was in coming, and the long and strenuous fight -here was to see the line accomplished and the link by rail with other South .sland sections fully realised. its achievement has been of great advantage to the development of the Coast as is proved by the export of timber, coal, and other large quantities of produce, notably stock and dairy produce. I'iie effect of that great convenience, and the development going on along tiie Coast in consequence, has stirred attention to other possible developments to further assist with the development of the West Coast. There lias 1 oecn a live public spirit manifested in die inangahua district for some time, and tiie Progress League there has carried out a useful campaign in drawing attention to possible developments of die district The folk have been successful in interesting the Canterbury public in the new route. The Lewis .jiiddle was one of the highways of the early clays when the venturesome pioneers found their way to tiie Coast, but a road via Arthur’s Pass ultimately diverted the traffic of the early days. Later, when the railway line was under consideration, the route was Again to the fore, but the Arthur's Pass route more directly served the coalfields whence so much trade was expected, and overcame other rival routes, including that of Browning Pass to reach which the* railway would have traversed the fertile valley of Kokatahi. That however, is ancient history which cannot be recalled, and other conditions prevailing to-day, a new situation has to be faced. Another portal to tiie Coast must lie of increasing value now that motor traffic lias sueh a vogue. The mechanical means of transport now available is changing the whole aspect for an isolated territory sueh as the Coast. Two important •lew highways which play a part in future development are now coming to

•kiss. '! ho first is the opening of the ! ophouse road into Marlborough. The seeonei i.s tlio Coast road linking Westport and Greyinoutli. Both those mads mean accelerated access, ar.el i!i;st play a part in the future prosperity. The Lewis Saddle route is 1» ing regarded as a practicable line for mad access into North Canterbury, and with such an earnest member for fbe district as Mr Black, we may sure the claims of the Jnangahua pul>iic will not be overlooked. Westland, too, has its new portal to care for and 'o interested in. We refer to the extension of the Great South Road into Otago, via Haast Pass. In this matter there is the assured support of the Otago people, and this great national work should not be forgotten at this stage. It will open up a great tract of Crown lands, and magnificent forest country, and once accomplished, will he the tourist route, par excellence, of the Southern Hemisphere. This fact should instil in the people a great desire for the completion of the road, and a spirit of enthusiasm no less marked than that of Inangahna should provide the community in the desire and decision to see another portal added to West Coast access.