CHATHAM ISLANDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 197, 3 June 1946, Page 2

CHATHAM ISLANDS

PRIMITIVE ROADING AND TRANSPORT MINISTERIAL VISIT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 2. The primitive loading and transport methods on the Chatham Islands were discussed by The Minister of Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) in an interview after his return to Wellington today by air from a short visit to that NeAV Zealand outpost. Road improvement, he said, appeared to tie the first and most obvious requirement of, the islands. Mr Mason was accompanied by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, the journey being made in a Sunderland flyingboat.

Mr Mason said he discussed the educational requirements of the Chatham Islands with some of the school teachers there, and also made inquiries Avith a A r iew to considering the possibility of instituting a scheme for the development of native lands on tlie islands. The dominating factor in the economy of the Chatham Islands Avas the question of transport. Internally, this means roading; externally, frequent shipping and low cost of freight when markets were not so buoyant. The cost of freight Avas likely to he so considerable as to make profitable sales impossible. This severely restricted the economic development of the island. Fishing, said the Minister, Avas an important industry at the Chatham Islands till the war, when the trawler which acted as the mother ship for the fleet was taken over by the NaA'y for mine-sweeping operations. l . The fishing grounds at the Chathams produced prolific supplies of cod. Wool was the other great item of export. Live sheep from the islands were also sold at Addington, where they realised the highest prices for that particular class of stock. Internal transport meant roads, said Mr Mason. There was little on the island that could he dignified by the term “road.” The liorse was tlie ordinary means of travel, hut for the more luxurious there was the “jogger,” a. local invention. It Avould be hard to say Avhat was its nearest relative among other vehicles, but it had a strong wooden framework mounted an a motoivcar .axle, wheels and tyres, which was drawn by two horses harnessed to a long pole in the centre. The “jogger” was not an uncomfortable vehicle, and was able to go practically anywhere—a good thing in the Chathams Avliere a A-ehicle that required proper roading would find its usefulness much circumscribed. There had been motor-cars on the island, and one, at least, was running at present. The land varied in character, a good deal of it being peat bog of no agricultural or pastoral value. This part yielded wax. He understood that representatives of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research considered that in this respect' the peat compared Avell with peat in other parts of the world exploited for its wax content.