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BY MOTOR TO MILFORD

MARVELLOUS SCENERY

"Within a very few years, if the -work which is at present in progress^ is carried to its conclusion, it will be possible for Dunedin people to travel to Milford Sound by motor-car in a single day, and the trip to the sound from Te Anau, which at present occupies three days, will be accomplished in three hours, says the "Otago Daily Times." This will be made possible by the construction of the road from Te Anan to the sound, which is at present being carried out as an unemployment relief work.

Mr.. T. M. Ball, the District Public "Works Engineer, who spent the Easter holidays inspecting the work, informed a reporter on Wednesday that 29 miles of the road had been completed, and that a.further' distance of eight miles was under construction. About 200 men are employed on the road at present, and at the end of each month 30 men ■ comprising married men who have had six months' work and single men who havo boen employed for three months, will be replaced by new men selected by the Labour Department. In eighteen months the men have completed 33 miles of road, and as the distance to Gertrude Saddle, where the main obstacle in the undertaking is found, is, only 63 miles, motorists should not have to wait long before they can take their cars to within easy walking distance of the-sound. At present a gang of about. 20 men is employed in making a walking track over the remaining eleven miles to the hostel, but: it is hoped that eventually cars will bo able to travel over the whole route. •'■ This can only be accomplished, however, by the driving of a tunnel 6000 feet long through the Gertrude Saddle.

"There is nothing to touch it," said Mr. Ball when questioned regarding the scenic beauty through which the road winds. Ho added that the Chief Public Works Engineer (Mr. F. W. Furkert), who had travelled extensively, described it as the finest tourist trip in the world. For the first 20 miles from Te Anau the lake was continuously in view, and the1 remainder of the journey was made through/ marvollous mountain and lake scenery. The Holljr-

ford Gorge resembled the famous^ American Grand Canyon, but the making of the road was not difficult. In the winter time avalanches came down on. both sides of the valley, but the road would be clear of danger.

Mr Ball oxpressed the opinion that if the road was completed thousands of tourists, particularly from Australia, would be attracted. Passengers from Australia would disembark at Milford Sound, and after a short stay, travel .to Xhinsdin J>jf jnotaaß|

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19310410.2.82

Bibliographic details

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 84, 10 April 1931, Page 10

Word Count
449

BY MOTOR TO MILFORD Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 84, 10 April 1931, Page 10

BY MOTOR TO MILFORD Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 84, 10 April 1931, Page 10