DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH WESTLAND

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22727, 3 June 1939, Page 9

DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH WESTLAND

m ITIE KOI I (Hi CK 111 B PRESS Sir,—“Taxpayer’s” letter of May 27 appears to call for a reply, as he would seek to belittle South Westland, a district where the Government has launched an expenditure of fully £1,000,000 to provide one of the greatest scenic roads extant. In that connexion f am sure Wcstlandcrs with faith in their country, appreciate the publicity "The Press" is giving to the progress of the great work the Hon. R. Semple is pushing on so determinedly in the southern district. It is true the local body has supported the extension of the railway from Ross, a work promised by the late R. J, Scddon, who knew the resources of the south. The Ward Government authorised the line, and voted the funds. Unfortunately, when the work was begun the Massey Government came into power, and though the late Sir William Fraser promised the people here fair things about the railway, his first Public Works Statement vetoed the line! Since then the public have not lost interest in the line. But there was first an unfriendly government, then a depression, the war period, and another depression, while in between the Otira tunnel materialised in the face of much opposition, and has justified itself. The extension of the railway soulh is further justified by the means now to get timber directly by rail for the East Coast. Rail transport will reduce the cost of the commodity to consumers. But I must review “Taxpayer’s” “facts.” The country to be traversed by the railway is of an average width of 20 to 25 miles, so that all the territory can be tapped. The census figures of the population arc:—Waitaha area. 307; Harihari. 452; Wataroa. 411. Beyond Wataroa for, say. 25 miles, there |is a population of 305 to Oc served. The population of the area is growing fairly rapidly, and must now approximate 2000. Ross, where the busiest timber station in the South Island is located, has a population of 457. The stock traffic over the Ross line is given in the latest Railway Statement as: Cattle, 2497; sheep, 17,789. Many cattle, in addition, arc road driven. Th'e quality of the southern stock has topped the Addington market. Wataroa lambs in particular arc much sought after. Dairy produce is to be handled, as well as general trade of the prospering settlements. The timber, of course, will be the chief freight, and specials are now required in addition to the ordinary time-table, to carry that freight from Ross. The soulh has begun to come into its own only in the last 12 to 15 years, since earlier there were many river fords to block regular access. Your correspondent should know that the white pine coming out of Wataroa (carted 60 miles' to the railhead) is from privately-held land. There is plenty of timber still to come from that ouarte r . The new bridge at Waitangi'was brought into immediate use for the transport of white pine logs to a nearby mill. The Forestry Department, it is admitted, has 45 per cent, of the timber locked up—a policy which delays the clearing of the land for further settlement, and the marketing of the timber, The cost of putting the south road in order for the American style of transport with giant trucks, as suggested in a report, will be greater than the railway. Road deviations alone, with concrete bridges will be through new country. Extensive widening ana regrading will be necessary Finally, there is surfacing and sealing. All mean a great expenditure. With the opening of the through roads to Otago and Southland motor traffic will be very concealed at all hours of the da} and night, and already there are grave risks with the timber lorries. The railway can relieve the bulk of the heavy freight, and make the roads safer for passenger traffic. “Taxpayer” draws the long bow when he mentions miles of railway wh’ch would not vield n foot of timber freight. I should like to escort him up and down the river valleys, and providing his eyesight is in order, he will obtain a new vision of the timber resources of the south, a most progiessive district, and one with a great fuI ture before it when opened up, and above all, served with economical transport. Yours, etc.. VAN g_ Hokitika, June 1, 1939. io rng bdi'ior or tde press Sir, —Are these new roads through South Westland definitely scenic? Is I the bush, fern, and forest, country traversed bv them and so vividly described by your reporters, to be scenic reserve, or is it to be opened up for milling’and grazing, etc., as was done with much similar country m the North Island, so that one of your correspondents can tell us that material for butter boxes being exhausted there, supplies must come now from the south?— Yours, etc., r m June 1, 1939.