DISTRICT PLAN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31222, 21 November 1966, Page 10

DISTRICT PLAN

-C. B. Nicholls (Social Credit)

Nelson should have a longterm development plan worked out now to avoid costly mistakes being made by piecemeal planning. What is required is agreement by all local bodies in the NelsonWaimea areas, the Progress League and other interested bodies to complete an over-all long-term development plan for the whole regional area. We now know that a pulp mill will be established on the Motueka river within the next decade, so planning of road, rail and port facilities should be centred on that fact. Recently we have been excited at the prospect of a hovercraft service for Nelson. As the Wellington-Picton railroad ferries have revolutionised transport between the two islands, so I believe that a hovercraft service will be a terrific asset to Nelson in particular because of its peculiar geographical position. It now seems quite obvious that the present Government has no intention of including Nelson in the rail-road ferry service, so I welcome the announcement of this new hovercraft service and I will support it in whatever way I am able. It is probably the answer to Nelson's transport link with the North Island. Rabbit Island I believe that Rabbit Island has a terrific potential as a major tourist resort and envisage it as a New Zealand “Surfers’ Paradise.” With direct road access from Tahunanui or Monaco, which would half the distance from the city, Rabbit Island, with its large area and its beautiful beach would be ideally situated for a tourist hotel. Careful planning of the island’s development would ensure that it would remain an asset to the people of the Nelson province.

Allied with Rabbit Island development is the benefit obtained by a direct route to Mapua, and closely related to this is the need for rail transport between the pulp mill and the port. If Port Nelson is to serve it, these two should be planned together. I reaffirm my belief that we should Jiave a rail connexion with the West Coast as the first step to complete the South Island main trunk circuit.

The Government’s plan to modernise the railways and the introduction of the railroad ferries are proving a financial success, and if Nelson was linked with the South Island rail system, I believe that this section could also be made to pay, as freight would start to flow freely throughout the island.