Lake Sumner Development Favoured By Ministers

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28150, 13 December 1956, Page 16

Lake Sumner Development Favoured By Ministers

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, December 12. The establishment of a holiday resort in the lakes Sumner and Katrine area is one step nearer as the result of a meeting today between the ActingMinister of Lands (Mr J. K. McAlpine), the chairman of the National Roads Board (Mr W. S. Goosman) and members of a deputation representing the Canterbury Progress League and the Lake Sumner Development CommitMr H. E. Radley, president of the Progress League, Mr A. R. Blank, chairman of the lake committee, and Mr A. Wagner (the members of the deputation) were introduced by Mr W. H. Gillespie, M.P. The deputation asked the Government for assistance in opening up the area and providing an adequate road access.

The deputation received a sympathetic hearing. It was suggested that the Waipara County Council should be approached to bring the access road up to the standard of a good country road. To do this the county council could be reasonably sure of a subsidy from the Roads Board, the Minister said.

“It looks as if we shall be approaching Waipara County Council shortly,”

said Mr Radley after the meeting. He added that the deputation and the Ministers had discussed the state of the first 24 miles of road to Waitohi gorge and, more particularly, the question of access over the last seven miles.

Mr McAlpine gave the deputation an assurance that when the problem of access was solved, his department would be prepared to subdivide and road the settlement area up to a suitable standard. The local body would then take over control.