SOUTH WESTLAND’S FUTURE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1929, Page 3

SOUTH WESTLAND’S FUTURE

The pushing ahead of the Main South Road is looking very promising and the settiers of that district should be very pleased with the outlook as it now presents itself. It may not, however, be generally known that there is over 9000 acres of occupied land along the route and something like 6000 acres unimproved. Further, theye is 8,000 acres of dry land suitable for settlement besides 11,000 acres of swampy land capable of being drained. The whole distance of the proposed road viz. Okuru-Jackson’s Bay Road is not more than about 24 miles. Take the timber alone, it is estimated at 800,000,000 (eight hundred million superficial feet) of timber. This at a nominal royalty would certainly return a sum much in excess of the cost of the road. Jackson’s Bay, is an open harbour and one of the best sites for shipping accommodation along the Coast and no engineering difficulties to be met with. When it is considered that access to this country would promote settlement and encourage industry it is now only a matter left to the settlers themselves to keep going until the object desired is successfully 'attained.