Tenders For Luncheon At Haast Rd. Opening

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30827, 12 August 1965, Page 12

Tenders For Luncheon At Haast Rd. Opening

The official opening of the Paringa-Haast highway on I November 6 will be in the i middle of the whitebait sea- i son—but it is not yet known i if whitebait will be “on” for i lunch. I Five catering tenders have i been received for the buffet i luncheon for 350 guests at Haast. after the opening ceremony—from firms in Christchurch, Oamaru, Dunedin, South Otrgo, and Bluff. These are under consideration by the Christchurch office of the Ministry of Works. Catering for the luncheon at Haast. to be held in the Haast Recreation Hall, presents special difficulties. There is no main electrical supply at Haast township, so that the successful tenderers for the catering contract will have to bring in their own heating and cooking appliances—probably rock-gas stoves or oil-fired stoves.

There is only a very small kitchen in the Haast Recreation Hall, so that the caterers will have to set up a kitchen in caravans or marquees. With spring time the wet time on the West Coast, this could be highly inconvenient. With all these difficulties, it is not expected that the luncheon will be an elaborate one. New Restaurant But for those whose appe tites run to more than “a bite” of lunch, a new res taurant, catering for up to 40 persons, will be open in Haast by the day of the opening ceremony. It is being established by Miss Gloria Buchanan, a Haast resident. Besides providing the usual grill meals, Miss Buchanan hopes to have a good supply of whitebait and crayfish all the year round. Another local development is the opening of two modern tourist-class motels at Okuru, 30 miles south of Haast. These are already heavily booked. As there is no accommodation in Haast township itself—apart from one board I inghouse catering for local | people—arrangements may be made for the catering team for the road-opening ceremony to stay at the Ministry of Works camp at Haast.

The caterers will have access to Haast only through Otago, via the Haast Pass, a* the Paringa-Haast highway will remain closed right tip to the time of the opening ceremony.