ONE-WAY TOURIST ROUTE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21175, 28 May 1934, Page 10

ONE-WAY TOURIST ROUTE

Minister for Finance Approves Idea NEED TO CONSIDER COST EMPHASISED The idea of linking up the sounds district and the West Coast by motor road, thereby completing a round-the-island tourist route, has the unqualified approval of the Minister for Finance, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, but the Minister believes that the desirability is one thing arid the practicability another. Mr Coates said on Saturday that he could not imagine anything more attractive, for New Zealanders, as well as for overseas visitors, than a route such as that suggested; but the necessary work must be considered in relation to its cost and to other works in New Zealand. The possibility of making Milford Sound a point of entry and departure for tourists visiting New Zealand, by linking up the sounds district with the Franz Josef and Fox Glacier resorts, is one of the ideas of the Hon. Adam Hamilton, Minister for Employment, and Minister in charge of the Tourist Department. Mr Hamilton's Proposals Mr Hamilton told "The Press" some time ago that he hoped to attract tourists to the south by providing them with a one-way route through the South Island, covering most of the important scenic resorts, and enabling them to travel through the country without doubling on their tracks. He considered that the lack of a connecting road was one of the main barriers, to art increased tourist traffic in the south. The first of Mr Hamilton's proposals was the connexion of Milford Sound with the Eglinton valley road. The second proposal, which had not yet taken definite shape, was the linking up of the [sounds district and the West Coast road. Mr Coates said on Saturday that it was a pity the South Island did not have such a one-way road. The area affected was one of the loveliest parts of New Zealand—Mr Coates knew the country intimately between Pembroke and the coast, by way of Haast Pass. However, the cost of any scheme of roading in the district had not been mentioned as yet, and the cost was a most' important factor. Mr Coates's View "Personally,' 1 said Mr Coates, "I think that as soon as finances permit, and as long as the work is looked on in its proper relation to other works in the country, bridges should be constructed on the road as far as Karangarua. There is an interesting and beautiful run from Wehelca to Bruce Bay; the native fauna is remarkably interesting, and the mountains , and seascapes provide some lovely views. Moreover, there are some very good settlers in the district, who are practically locked in through the summer months, when the rivers are high." But the "oad right through to the Haast would present some peculiar difficulties, for instance, at a place called Slippery Face, where the engineers would have to cope with a moving hillside. The completion of the road was certainly most desirable, but whether it was practicable or not was another matter.