PIERCING THE HILL BARRIER.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 October 1938, Page 4

PIERCING THE HILL BARRIER.

JTTROM <i statement by the Minister of Public Works which appears in our news columns today it may be seen that the Government is intent on an early beginning’ on the work of constructing the Rimntaka. deviation tunnel. A working survey is to be put in hand forthwith and Air Semple indicates that once this essential, preliminary has been attended to, the undertaking will be pressed to a completion with all possible speed, the best available machinery and appliances being utilised to that end.

In spite of the ill-considered doubts that have been cast upon, the undertaking in Auckland and some other parts of the Dominion, there cannot be any doubt that the improvement of 1 ho Rimntaka railway which is now assured, besides serving national purposes of value, will remove a • heavy handicap under which the Wairarapa district has laboured far too long. Imperfect facilities for transport between the district and its port have hampered development and progress in many ways and corresponding benefits are to be anticipated' from the work about to be carried out.

The knowledge that the tunnel deviation is at last in hand should be a spur to enterprise in all parts of the Wairarapa. Though it takes already a highly important place among the producing areas of the Dominion—a I act of which signal, proof no doubt, will be afforded at, the Wairarapa I’. ai‘id A. Show in Carterton next week—this district has vast undeveloped potentialities and is capable of supporting in excellent conditions a Far greater population than it holds today. There is splendid scope in the Wairarapa both for the more intensive use of land in branches of industry which need make no heavy call on export markets and for the establishment of secondary industries. In the conditions of modern transport which are now normal and which the Wairarapa presently will enjoy, there is no need to huddle industries in the immediate neighbourhood of deep water ports. On economic, grounds and paying due regard to human welfare, thoe is everything to be said for modifying that obsolete policy to the greatest possible degree. In view of the improvement, in transport that is now assured, the people ot the Wairarapa should shape their plans in; good time to make the most of the enlarged opportunities that will thus be brought within their reach.