The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1931. ADVANCE WESTLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1931. ADVANCE WESTLAND.

As soon as the holidays aio past it is hoped some attention will be turned to the waste lands of Westland with a view to increasing settlement, which is the beet liopo lor the permanent » establishment of prosperity, From , time to time we have advocated tne pushing on of the road into Soutn Westland so that the remote settlers may be brought into readier touch with markets. The road to Wehekq is now a first class motor road, and stock and produce from that end of the district? are now transported In the main by motor lorry, .But beyond Weheka there are several settlements without adequate road acommodation, and worse still, no facilities to cross flooded rivers. The advancement of Westland can be helped greatly by the extension of the reading (with bridges) into the southern territory. Beyond Weheka a considerable section of constructed road stands idle because of the lack of bridges, yet if the two main streams, Fox and Cook, were bridged, another 20 miles of country could be served all the year round with motor services. When it is recognised what improved roacfing has done in the way of transforming conditions in the parts of South Westland already served by arterial roading, there is the fullest encouragement to carry on the main road. In the settlements beyond Weheka it is a fact that homesteads established there in years gone by are now conducted by the gone and daughter# of the pioneer settlers. Two gen- ' ©rations have thrivecL,jthere, and a third is coming on, despite the disabilities of transport. If, there were adequate roading and the dangers of the fords eliminated, there would be a succession of Waitnhas, Hariharis, Matainuis, and Waiho Gorges, at every stage south. We have seen how settlement has grown with increasing population and produce- at the several centres referred to, following the provision of good motor roading, and that increase would he repeated at every stage the completed road was advanced south. We hope it ryill be possible to induce the Minister of Public Works to travel south and see conditions for himself. .When formerly in office, Mr Coates, promised the people, that while he (did not favour railway extension south, he would agree to good roads for high class transport. That promise has been kept up to a- certain point, but there is beyond the present i’oad-end, much valuable land for settlement and improvement, and Mr Coates should bo induced to extend the roading to cover settled areas, and give to settlers who have pioneered the country, the same facilities for transport as are enjoyed by. their neighbour further south. Westland is capable of great expansion all over the district. Whenever settlement is established there is always room for improvement, and particularly so in the south where the district is retarded / for the want of the means of regular transit. Looking to what has been achieved in the south territory since the era of good roads and bridges, we can reflect that equal progress and development will follow further south as like provision is provided for traffic all the year round. There is room for advancement in the south if facilities for safe and regular access were established.