OKURU DEPUTATION

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1929, Page 6

OKURU DEPUTATION

TO PRIME MINISTER. OKURU-JACKSON BAY ROAD. A FAVOURABLE RECEPTION. \ (By Telegraph.—Special to Guardian). WELLINGTON, July 17. A number of settlers in Okuru district waited on the members of the Government to-day..with a request that an item be placed on the Estimates to provide for the erection of a wharf at Jackson’s Bay-'and for the completion of. the road from Okuru to Jackson Bay. The isolation of the district was stressed by the deputation. Reference was made to : the possibilities of the locality from a land settlement point of view.

The members of the Government present were the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), Minister of Lands (Hon G. Forbes), and Minister of Public Works (Hon A. Ransom/.

Mr J. O’Brien, M.P., introduced the deputaton, stating what was wanted was a better means of access so that the land could be more closely settled. There were .32,000 acres or awaiting settlement, and tile Forestry Department estimated 800,200,000 feet,, ofvtimber 'afr|ilaljle'/6r milling. The depdtatibii we i' e .asking that a sum be' placed on the estimates this year to'.provide, it. jetty/:at. Jackson’s Bay and a road from Jackson Bay to Okuru.

Mr adyan-. tages'of. Jacksom’s .Bay lasi it port; remarking that it was the closest to Australia; XThe DqfitftfyJwas suited for dairying. Last year Mr Nolan pro'dUcedF2s /tonsh'bf cheese- at a factory which he had established.

7’ Mr W. Bodkih (Vi/P-"for .Central Otago) referred to the advantages of the Haast Valley from a dairying point of view. He said the natural outlet for that area was Jackson’s Bay. Tlie work suggested by Mr O’Brien if undertaker, would provide an excellent means of absorbing some 'of the unemployed. Mr W. D. Nolan (Okuru) extolled the virtues-of Jackson Bay as a port, and said, with the expenditure suggested, it would jbe capable of sheltering, the largest steamers which visited New .Zealand! ;AAt: present tthey .’had a very irregular steamer service and the only qt}ier: way, of. ■communicating, with the outside world was by pack horse mail, Mr Nolan dwelt on the potentialities of Okuru district, and said those pqt-: entialities would.- never be..realised; unfit, there vvas. an; imprpved^means ;of. , access.', ".The ' sbttlers werie .optimistic abdqt ‘ tlifeyehahces' now that they - had a Government with a progressive land policy. The completion of Haast Pass track would improve the outlet, but it would not be sufficient to.allow them to export produce and timber. . Mt-Nolan/said-iie did' not-think there was a more isolated spot in New ZeaJajid than Dknru.. i If ■cliid as the deputation suggested,: its . name'- would'-rlive'.for" all time, so ; far- ; ;•. ip ’ ;. 'Other speakers were Mr W. Searlc (Member of Westland Countv.Jpouncil) •Mi* D.' J-: -’Eviins (Comity Clerk), and Mr, W.jjDlnMoilpetfr (Commissioner of •Crown; ,Lands), who,; was present at -lie request of the Minister of Lands.ThA last-named produced maps of The district, and with the -assistance oIA'Tr T. B.- Thompson (Under';Secretary o r Lands) .explained the -actual position to the Prime Minister and his colleagues present. The speakers stressed the isolation of the locality and the benefits it would be to create a fresh settlement.

Air John Cron, of Haast and Air C. Eggling of Okuru, were also present at the deputation, and endorsed ATr Nolan’s statement of the case, which was a full one, and were attentively followed by the Ministers, who asked questions as to the various details.

.Replying to 4h'e|..;. deputation, the Prime Minister said the representations would.be fully; considered when the Government was going into the Estimates, in about six weeks. He could .-not anticipate' publid’Avcirks 'expenditure at this juncture, hut when the deputation came from such a dis;?inpe it was only right that its represen-

tations should. be given tlie most care fill consideration. Tlie road asked ,for was an expensive one, and hp„<lid noi think it could be completed olithin a short period. It was estimated to cost £70,000. They could not reasonably spend that sum on what was admittedly an isolated district with very few settlers. The matter of a wharf at Jackson’s Bay was that the wharf would not he of any great use unti 1 the road was completed. They only had a certain amount of money to spend on public works this year, and would have to exorcise care in drawing up their estimates. -i The aspect of settlement possibilities' was one that would have to he taken into consideration, as' would the question of the timber resources of the district.

/The Prime Minister assured the deputation that the three Minist'chs present would keep their representations before them when the Estimates were being prepared. Mr O'Brien who had given tjie members every attention during their stay, Sir Joseph for his' patient hearing, and hoped when the matter was gone into closely that a suitable provision would he made on this year’s Estimates in recognition of the importance and urgency of the work. 4 Mr AY. "D. Nolan broadcasts at 7.30 on Thursday evening, from 2 A’.A. Station, a short account of Okiiru Settlement and the disabilities under which baekbloclc settlers have existed over many years,