The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1933. A NECESSARY OUTLET
There is revived interest in the opening of another outlet for Westland via the Haast Pass. Both Otago and Southland, realising no doubt, the possible benefits of trade with South \Vestland, have bestirred themselves, and are moving in the matter, and Canterbury is' also beginning to take an interest in- the question and proposes to make inquiries! It is remarkable that the main roading of Westland, and its connection with sister provinces, has been delayed for so long. With remarkabe celerity in all the circumstances, the east and west read with Canterbury was c°nstucted in the very early days, but the effort proved exhausting, and the opening of arterial roads since then has been a slow process. Only about half of Westland carries a main road. Many readers may doubt, that statement but the road ends at Welieka, and beyond there traffic over all the years has had to make its way as best it could. First, by the sea beach route, then bv narrow inland tracks, which in short sections were widened to permit of dray traffic. And always the rivers and most of the creeks nave remained unbridged. The want of arterial communication has been a great hold-up to traffic. While the portions of Westland served with good road and bridges, have had opportunities to prosper, the neglected parts have been retarded by the want of road access, and have not advanced to the same degree. Yet the land and settlement conditions are otherwise largely the same. Given good roads ar.d bridges, extra mileage in these days of motcr transport is not a. serious drawback, and if the far south of Westland were served with a good main road the transformation in that quarter would soon be most marked. While the district has waited for the essential factor for its advancement, the Government further south is pushing a rn:cT into a dead end at Milford Sound, opening up no now country. Our readers will he surprised perhaps, to barn that while South Westland lias had to exist as best it could with th, s indifferent means of communication, the road to Milford not. sorving any settlement, is r.ow within 20' miles of completion! The policy of iPgleet displayed towards South Westland regarding its roading is a distinct blot on the administration. And while the locality
is being ignored, It was revealed tha oi/iicr uay by the Mnister of Public Works that- unemployed were camped in the Buffer district on useless and unnecessary work, which if the men elected to strike about could he donei without! If the Minister Inis men to spare, he has work in plenty for them in South Westland. His attention to the needs of the south lias been brought before him again and again, and with the army of unemployed in the country, there is useful work in plenty in the extension of the southern arterial road, which, as has been mentioned so often, will open up a large tract of Crown lands which can be turned to profit and production. With the position so patent, it is regrettable indeed that the authorities have for so long neglected an obvious duty to the southern district of Westland.
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Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1933, Page 4
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553The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1933. A NECESSARY OUTLET Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1933, Page 4
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