GALATEA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 82, 27 November 1931, Page 7

GALATEA

CHAS. H. C.

WORTHINGTON.

(To the Editor). Sir, — In your jssue of Wednesday, November 25, "Settler" writes at some length on Galatea Station and on the Public Works policy of development. On the first series of criticisms I have no comment but think much is capable of explanation. On the value of the road to Rotorua, and the whole DominiOn, the writer is hopelessly astray. The road is not a mere aecess road to Galatea, it is the essential of ,a plan to open up the interior of the North Island, It gives an egress-road to some 15,000 acres of useful land that lies in the pocket, cut off by the Bluff from the coastal areas. It glyes direct access to not only Galatea and adjacent holdings but to the vast exotic forest pl'Iitations, now being developed on the Kaingaroa Plains and to the head waters of the Rangitaiki River, by the State Forest Serviee and private afforestation .companies. "Settler" asks why a heavy serviee road was not made to connect Galatea with Rotorua, by the Taupo Highway. Nature has supplied the answer. There is a rise of some 1300 feet from the valley at Murupara to the high plains, and a eorresponding drpp at Waiotapu. This itself is a sufficient answer to the question.'

Rotorua benefits by every new road developed, because unlike the city of the plains, there eis no danger of rival townships arising. Every road that makes for fluidity of transport is to its advantage. All roads lead to Rotorua. The cost of this down river road is very much under what might be expeeted from the nature of the country traversed. — I am, etc.