SOUTH WESTLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1931, Page 2

SOUTH WESTLAND NOTES

The far south has sent upwards of 300 head of cattle for the stock sale at AVataroa, to-morrow. The cattle reached Matui-mui yesterday after a long drive of about eleven days. The • line of cattle is of the usual, good quaJ.l it.v. Some 35 workmen! from the Buller 1 Gorge railway works, recently discontinued, are now on the main south s road between AVnilio and W eheka if carrying out general improvements to g the road. An additional 40 men are f"’to; be sent into the district as soon £ as-: the accommodation is ready for | them. j • The bridge site for the Karangarua :i 3’iver crossing has now bee'n fixed in * 'readiness for the extension, of the great f South road; when the new road is push-. |ed that far. The site is about three. ■' .miles above the ford crossing, so that I‘some six mile® of road will require $ to be constructed as? approaches to the ~ A new bridge shortly to be erected \ on the main south road, is that crossing f Pocky Creek, a short distance north >! of Weheka. The bridge will be a i substantial one with concrete abut•l ments, and will cost over one thousand pounds. It is intended also this year to bridge Gibbs Creek near Dooherty’s 1 Creek bridge thus adding further to the convenience of travelling by the main south road, The main south road right through to Waiho Gorge and Weheka is in capital order for motoring, .During the Labour week end, there was a good deal of motor traffic south. The road surface is maintained in excellent, order throughout. The Public Works staff has just put in hand the river protection, work at Wnitangi where the Richardso-n road and adjacent settlement were in danger. The work has not been put in hand too soon, as a. late flood showed the tendency of the river to do further damage. In consequence a® much labour as possible was put on to hurry the work before any further flooding occurred. . Tlie funds for the work are being, found by the public Works and Lands Department, with a special contribution from the County ' Council. A considerable amount of work fs stjll being done by the Government staff and employees in further securing the northern approach to the Waitangi river bridge. The river for some time i past has been making inroads, and each flood caused . some damage. In • addition to raising the road and putting in substantial stone and scrub protection, " protection work is being'carried out now and should I assist considerably in the protection of tbe approach road to the traffic bridge. The lambing season in South Westland is considered generally successful. Some of. the settlers have had high recase lambs was almost a thousand. The new suspension, wire bridge for pedestrians over the Gallery Gorge, near Waiho, on the way to the- Franz Josef Glacier, is now. almost completed, and is, now being used by traffic as required. This route is used very often by visitors when returning from a glacier trip, as the hot spring baths are passed en route, and are generally patronised. It is hoped it will he possible in the near future to complete the track up Alec’s Knob-, which will afford an unusual view of-the Franz Josef Glacier at the Waiho Gorge. A vote is being provided. : ; by the Tourist Department for this'-work, and when available the walk will be a popular one for visiting tourists. / Another track of a similar character is being provided for at the Fox Glacier. This is W route (to the top of Cove Rock which will afford a dominating outlook, over the glacier, and will he very popular for the magnificent view of the alpine scenery. Guide Alec has joined the staff of Messrs Sullivan Bros., Weheka, this season, and during the week left for tlxe Mount Oaok Hermitage, with Mr i (Ooxhead, Secretary of the Mount Cook . Coy., who has been at both Waiho and Weheka for a few days making arrangements for an interchange of trips between the Hermitage and the Coast, and vice'Versa. Guide Alec and his companion proposed to travel across the Southern, A It>s by way of Copland .; Pass. It should be an interesting trip f at this time of the year.

■j Interest- in the dredging possibilities ■i of the Gillo-pic j Beach is still maini tained. Following recent prospecting |at i« not unlikely practical developments will ensue. It is considered \ |that a hydro electric scheme for power, * is possible from one of the small lakes I north of W 'heka . where there is subI sfa-ntinl fall for development purposes. i This discovery is likely to be of great ! assistance in finalising the proposal to iitwork the beach. Prospectir-z is also in hand up the -atWaikukupn Gorge, where Purcell and Engholt who have opened a track with it,he 'assistance of a small grant from the Mines Department, are setting in. The country is rough and difficult of access, hut the prospects are said to he attractive, and work is going forward. Several of the settlers in thp Bruce Bay locality met with a good deal of success lately, blacksanding on the ocean beach. Some cf the men off the roads also tried their luck at hlackv sending, b”t their success was not so .'pronounced. ' ' The County Council is about to put viit hand a new rrwd at the Education y Endowment settlement, on the south t side of the Waitangi river. . The new irqad will branch off the main settlement road, and serve Mr It. Graham and other land holders in that vicinity.

It is proposed, al o, to road portion of the Education Endowment area on the south side of tl ,u kittle Wanganui river, serving land held by Mr Mimeham. It will be seen that considerable load work is going on in the district, a very healthy sign of the general development of the south, and its steady progress is becoming .more and more marked.