PUBLIC WORKS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19623, 20 May 1929, Page 8

PUBLIC WORKS.

MINISTER AT WESPORT. NEEDS OP THE DISTRICT. (PKISB ASSOCIA-TIOK TELBQJUH.) WESTPORT, May 19. The Hon. Mr Ransom, Minister for Public Works, was met at Inangahua Junction on Saturday morning by Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., the Mayor (Mr J. H. Harkness), Mr C. D. Betts (president of the Buller Progress League), I and other representative citizens, and, after receiving deputations there, came on to Westport, inspecting en route J. Hurley's coal mine in the Buller Gorge, the railway works in progress, and receiving deputations at the workers camps. The Minister in the evening was accorded a civic reception in the Town Hall, speeches of welcome being made by the Mayor, Messrs H. E. Holl.nd, M.P., C. G. Black, MP., and C. D. Betts. , Ijl ... The Minister, in his reply, dealt with the policv of the Liberal Party as enunciate'd by Sir Joseph Ward and stated that all pre-election promises had been fulfilled or were in course or fulfilment. He hoped to see both primary and secondary industries fostered As a farmer he did not see in the Buller district what he would see in the way of postoral land m Hawke s Bay, but each district had some compensatiner advantages, and the rtul er had wonderful mineral resources. &very effort should be made to develop the varied resources of the country. The Minister subsequent'y heard deputations urging the construction of the Buller Gorge railway from both the Westport and Inangahua Junction ends so to as to enable the line speedily to become revenue-earning also deputations urging the purchase of an up-to-date bucket dredge with two hoppers, each of 1000 tons capacity, and the enlarging of the swinging space in the river to enable larger vessels to come to Westport and tnk* awav coal. The coastal road and the introduct : on of mach : nery for the treatment of flax so as to enable fibre to be produced in silk-like form as is done in Japan were the subjects of other representations by the deputation. To-day the Minister, accompanied bv representative citizens, proceeded sine distance down the coastal road intending to go as far as Punakaiki. but a slip on the road and a mishnp to a car and a motor-lorry defeated these intentions. However, the Minister saw sufficient of the road to be highly impressed with it as a tourist and commercial route. To-morrow the Minister visit" the Cascade coal bins in the Bul'er Gorge and then proceeas to lleefton.