GREAT SOUTH ROAD OVER HAAST PASS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25084, 16 January 1947, Page 3

GREAT SOUTH ROAD OVER HAAST PASS

FIFTY MILES TO BE COMPLETED

It is hoped that this year work on the Great South road over the Hasst Pass will oe recommenced. About 50 miles uf this road have yet to be constructed, linking up the West Coast and Central Otago with one of the most beautiful scenic routes in New Zealand. When the road is completed tourists will be able to make a round trip. The road will open up new lands for ' settlement in the upper Haast and provide for the creation of a prosperous farming community. When modern machinery arrives, the work should be quickly carried out. Early last year. Mr J O’Brien, member of Parliament for Westland, in a letter to the Westland District Progress League, gave some indication of the future hopes of advancing, developing, and opening up the province in the years ahead.

“You are probably aware thst. for many years, I have been striving for the development of Westland’s resources and the opening up of the wealthy southern portion of that district,” said Mr O’Brien. “During the war years many of our works have been closed down, and now that the war is over and labour is becoming available, there is need to push for such works as the construction of the Great South road from Blue river to Haast and on to Otago, and the road from the Hollyford to connect up with the Eglinton Valley road and Southland. One of the immediate works that should be put in hand is the extension of the railway, at least to Wataroa. This will tap some .very valuable timber country, and the freight for taking this timber out would pay for the railway before the timber is exhausted: and in the meantime reafforestation of the cut areas should be gone on with.” ' After dealing with the need for improvement to existing harbours at Greymouth and Westport, the Minister added that there were also industries suitable to Westland to be established such as box-making factories and other factories, and such secondary industries as the district warranted. These and other matters would come up for consideration from time to time, including Government buildings “I might add that the plans have been drawn up for a fairly elaborate police station at Greymouth, while provision for a new post office at Hokitika and other buildings are first on the priority list.” he concluded