Local Bodies' Nine-Point Plan For South Island

Press, Volume C, Issue 29637, 6 October 1961, Page 3

Local Bodies' Nine-Point Plan For South Island

(New Zealand Press Association)

NELSON. Oct. 5. The annual conference of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association today adopted a nine-point programme incorporating the association's principal objectives for the progress and development of the South Island.

The nine points are. <1) Land development in the South Island with emphasis on research into ways of economically developing the extensive areas of marginal land, reviewing pastoral leases about to expire, and the purchase, by negotiation, of large holdings suitable for subdivision to provide for additional settlement. (2) The development of South Island tourist resorts. (3) The realignment, sealing and rebridging with twoway structures in the shortest possible time, all remaining unimproved State and provincial highways. (4) Nelson trunk railway connexion with the rest of the South Island. Jet Airport (5) Completion of Christchurch Airport to jet standards, and the completion of Dunedin Airport. (6) A Sawyers Bay-Wai-tati tunnel in Dunedin. (7) Development of known mineral deposits in the South Island with emphasis on the more efficient and economical usage of coal deposits and the extension of geological survey work, exploration and prospecting for other minerals.

(8) Industrial development and hydro-electric power development. (9) Reafforestation in the South Island to equalise the area planted in exotic softwoods in the North Island. The conference decided to ask the Government to make a definite decision and statement about the replacement of the Franz Josef Hotel. Discussing the Nelson rail link Mr J. C. McKenzie (Wai. lace County) said the objective should be removed from the list. “We should be

practical and realistic about this?' he said.

Mr E. P. Meachen (Blenheim) said the deletion of the railway link from the programme would mean a lack of confidence in the Nelson. Marlborough and West Coast League of bocal Bodies-, the organisation which could best judge what was in the best interests of the area.