The Guardian Tuesday, July 23, 1929. A ROADLESS AREA.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1929, Page 4

The Guardian Tuesday, July 23, 1929. A ROADLESS AREA.

The deputation wnicii visited Wellington in regard to the loading of the Okuru-Jaoivson Ray area had a plain, unvarnished tale to tell of a roadless district. The situation is a remote one, and the actual living conditions are not known in their rea.ity to many. It is a district at the far south of the Westland County, and though settlement lias been established there for half a century, very little has been done to open up the country. It is a fact where Westland is served with proper access the localities are prospering, but the Jackson Bay area is very much apart from the north. The motor road ends at Weheka, and the rough dray road at Alahuuhi. Then there is a 50-mile break covered only by a pack-horse route, till the Haast is reached. From the Haast to Okuru there are a few miles of beach road, suitable only for drays, and at Okuru another short section of road available for drays only. From there to Jackson’s Bay a road of 24 miles is asked for to reach the port. In between are good river flats similar to those successfully settled in other parts of Westland where suitable access is provided. The river iiats are mostly pastoral runs, and as Crown Lands are capable of closer settlement. It is this area which it is desired to road and ultimately to settle. In this large tract of country there is a magnificent standing forest—another justification for the convenience of a port at Jackson Bay. Tiie roading proposition which Mr Nolan and the others of the deputation so forcibly advocated, has been estimated to cost £70,000. Sir aoseph Ward very rightly said the expenditure of so lurgei a sum would take time, and must extend over a period. But if that means a- recognition of the work, and the ultimate intention of constructing the road, then heart will be given to the settlers, and the expansion of the locality is assured. It is quite unusual for works of this nature to have the approval in advance of Government officials, but the project has been recommended favourably by the Lands Department officers, a fact which indicates that it is out of the ordinary category, and worthy consideration. The Government is naturally limited in these matters by funds available. New Zealand stands in need of so much reading generally, and at the moment there is the special strain of providing for the roading of the earthquake area where former roads have been obliterated, on that account there is extra pressure on the volume of money usually available, and some curtailment may be expected in regard to new works. But as it is the policy to provide constructive works to absorb unemployment, there is no better opportunity of doing so than in providing roads to open up new and unsettled country where Crown Lands are available for settlement. The expenditure not only meets a pressing need, but it is adding to the value of the Crown Estate by bringing the land into profitable use. 'mere is a very large area, of land held under pastoral runs, and these the chief settlers have indicated their willingness to surrender, if the' Government will take up a settlement scheme, in connection v'itli the roading of the district. Nothing could he fairer than that, and the offer should be a special inducement to the Government to consider favourably the important project put before them. Needless to say it is a very important matter to Westland as a whole, for the reason that progressive settlement in any part of the district must add to the general prosperity. When it is considered what general advantage the progress in South Westland already is-, it can be realised that the scope extended will be of material service also. The deputation’s work should ’ have opened the eyes of tiie people of Westland to the asset the far south is to the district. It is often the practice to take- matters of this kind too much for granted, and leave it to the people themselves to advocate their needs. In this case, however, the position is such that the request by the settlers merits whole-hearted support from all parts. The far south is struggling along under many disabilities, and needs all the support it can have to secure success at the moment. On that account there should be a common desire to help, and the support to the roading proposal should be as general as possible for a very good case has been made out.