ACCESS TO SOUTH WESTLAND

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22110, 4 June 1937, Page 12

ACCESS TO SOUTH WESTLAND

PROPOSAL TO BUILD HARBOUR SITE AT JACKSON'S BAY SURVEYED POSSIBILITY OP DEVELOPING RICH DISTRICT [From Our Own Reporter.! HOKITIKA, June 3. A proposal to build a permanent deep-water harbour in a sheltered corner of Jackson's Bay, in South Westland, is being investigated by the Government, and an official announcement is expected shortly. The people of this isolated region, who have lived long in the hopes of seeing overseas vessels tied up at Jackson's Bay loading their timber and farm produce, express confidence that the Government will decide favourably on the scheme, which would assist in the commercial exploitation of a vast area of land rich in timber and minerals, and with other great potential resources of trade. The recent presence of a big Government survey party in the bay and a visit lately from Mr T. M. Ball, an engineer of the Public Works Department, has strengthened these hopes to the point where, backed by information received privately from Wellington, the people in the far south seem certain that soon they will have an up-to-date harbour there. That was the impression gained by a reporter of "The Press" who was this week taken over the Jackson's Bay district by Mr J. C. Mercer, of Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., on a long flight, which included a survey of the whole bay, and of the proposed site. The survey party has just completed its work. The investigations included a study of the weather, extensive soundings of the bay, a survey of the site for the wharf, and a general report on the possibilities of the spot and of the likely cost of the work. The survey followed a promise made by the Hon. R. Semple (Minister for Public Works) when in South Westland earlier in the year that he would have the proposal investigated. Settlers' Difficulties For many years now the few big runholders in the far south have either bad to send their produce and stock up by pack track to the road terminus at Weheka, the trip taking many days, and sometimes weeks, when the rivers were in flood, or have sent their wool and cattle on to small coastal steamers by lighters—a risky undertaking at most times, and costly as well. For big vessels there has always been a fine, deep water anchorage in a sheltered arm of the bay, which sweeps out to sea towards the north, giving complete shelter from heavy southerlies and south-westerly gales. There is evidence • to show that Jackson's Bay was a sheltering place for vessels in the very earliest days of the settlement of the Dominion. It is the safest deep water anchorage along the whole coast, right to the sounds, and is actually one day's steaming nearer Melbourne than any other portion of the South Island. On the day the reporter flew over the bay, although there was a heavy swell coming in right along the coast, in the sheltered arm the sea was smooth, and workable for any type of vessel. The proposed site of the harbour would allow the construction of further protection. For a long time the scheme for a harbour there has attracted timber interests in the Dominion and in Australia. Timber ships from Australian ports work West Coast harbours, but at present are handicapped by the irregularities of the existing bar harbours, which often cannot be worked because of heavy weather. It seems unlikely that weather could ever prevent berthing or loading at Jackson's Bay. A harbour there would open up an area of limber land with supplies which, on the* basis of present requirements, would be practically inexhaustible. Vast Forests Settlers in the far south—Jackson's Bay is not very far from the southern boundary of Westland—who have lived there for many years claim that there has been no complete survey of the potentialities of their district, but from the air one gauges the vast possibilities of the timber trade from the great forests. Beyond Jackson's Bay, as far as the eye can see. and even with the extended view possible from the air, these untouched and mostly unexplored forests of white pine and red pine stretch along the coast into the hazy distance, making a grand and inspiring picture. Scattered between the forests are fine, open river flats, already carrying sheep and cattle, near the coast; but inland, up the great bed of the Arawata river and Jackson's river valley, for instance, they are unworkable because of the lack of access. This open land—one newlydiscovered flat has an area of 3000 acres—can produce the type of fat cattle which, after a journey by track, road, and rail of several hundred miles, can still top the market at Addington. From Okura stock often finds its way to Addington in excellent condition, and further north, but still within reach of Jackson's Bay stock from the Haast flats has long been envied at the yards. All this country would be opened up by the proposed harbour. The distance would make road transport of stock too costly, it is considered, and would offer no adequate alternative to transport by sea for heavy loads. The history of the district has been one of many years' stirring enterprise, thwarted by lack of regular access. The aeroplar* service has alleviated the position greatly for residents wishing to travel, and for mails, but still cannot overcome the difficulties of handling freight in a big way. Enterprise that Failed One effort many years ago provides an instance of the difficulties encountered there. The discovery was made of contiguous deposits of good coal and copper. The coal seam averaged from five to 20 feet in thickness and the copper lode was two and a half feet thick. There was an inexhaustible supply of timber, water for motive l power, and the prospects of opening the deposits were bright, but the efforts failed because of the isolated locality and the uncertainty of transport. Because of its nearness to Australia. Jackson's Bay harbour would prob-

ably have a strategic value as well and it may have been partly this that influenced the Government in deciding to construct a bis aerodrome nearby Men are still working on this project, with uo-to-date plant, turning a big crea into a aerodrome, fully graded, with all-weather runways. Part of the landing ground, which is not one of the emergency chain, but is destined to be a properly-equinped field, is already in use by Air Force and Air Travel machines. This ground is on one of the sites used for the abortive settlement scheme of the seventies, when a big area was intended to be worked by GovernmentMded settlers, mostly foreigners. But the wrons sites were chosen, and after a struggle against isolation and the elements the scheme was abandoned. Only a small stand of pine trees indicates the site of the experiment. Yet once it flourished to the extent that the settlers built a rough racecourse there.