Money For Tourist Roads

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30901, 6 November 1965, Page 16

Money For Tourist Roads

(From Our Own Reporter) HOKITIKA, Nov. 5.

Local bodies which provided road access to tourist resorts should be given more liberal grants and subsidies from the Tourist Department, the annual conference of the South Island Local Bodies Association agreed. The Westland County Council was continuously embarrassed because it did not have

money from rates to meet the demands for road access to tourist resorts, said Mr E. A. Cook.

Mr J. S. Thorn, a member of the National Roads Board, said that tourist roads were getting a reasonable share of the money available. More liberal assistance had been given in the last two or three years. County councils were fighting to get roading for settlers in the back country who were contributing to increased primary production, said a Southland delegate, who opposed any increase from the Roads Board for tourist roads. The Roads Board had treated counties well, said Mr M. Wallace (Westland). The Tourist Department was continually telling local bodies about the importance of tourism, and should do something to help. “Tourism is going to be one of the greatest exports, and we are going to have to look to it for overseas exchange,” said Mr R. G. Ramshaw, the president. “Half a million tourists go through our area every year. No local body can provide for that traffic from its rates.” The conference supported the Inangahua County Council’s efforts to have a road formed from State Highway No. 7 near Maruia Springs junction to Lake Daniells. Mr P. O’Regan said that if the Tourist Department built a road it would provide another interesting attraction for tourists visiting the West Coast.