West Coast Boom Envisaged

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31771, 30 August 1968, Page 1

West Coast Boom Envisaged

Out of the gloom created by the closing of some West Coast coal mines could spring an industrial boom based on resources more reliable than those of the prosperous gold rush days.

The boom would be much slower in gaining momentum but its benefits would be longlasting and soundly based. These are the views of the retiring District Commissioner of Works (Mr D. B Dallas), who was recently appointed by the Government to assist with the resettlement of people affected by closing of the mines. Mr Dallas, who has begun preliminary investigations into how the West Coast can be revitalised, said yesterday that the potential for development was enormous as were the problems.

The people of the West Coast would have to consider changing their approach to local administration and be prepared to exploit fully the under - developed resources available.

He said that the four major resources of the West Coast still under-developed were the land, forestry, tourism, and minerals.

Traditionally the people on the West Coast had lived mainly by extractive Industries—gold, coal and timber. Now they would have to capitalise on the rich land which he said was now only 25 per cent exploited. Big properties which were under-farmed could be upgraded. This was especially true of the Grey area where development was important because of the ready availability of transport by sea and rail.

Throughout the West Coast treip could be grown in vast

stands. They would mature faster than in Canterbury and would not be endangered by severe winds. The Forest Service was now supervising the planting of more than 1100 acres of trees each year, mostly exotick.

Mr Dallas said the development of farming and forestry on a more ambitious and realistic level would prompt •the establishment of secondary industries akin to that already set up at Hokitika to process milk powder. To get more people on to the land some formula could be devised whereby smaller holdings could be established and farmed to a regional development plan.

He said that the activities of the Lands and Survey Department had shown that more intensive farming could be done on the West Coast. Given access to greater sources of finance, those interesfcd could bring a great

wave of farming prosperity tn thp JirMi Mr Dallas said there was no magic formula to solving the problems looming with the closing of the mines. For every miner put out of work four other people would be affected. “In view of what is ahead, it is up to the people to seek, out the very best candidates for local administration in the forthcoming local government elections,” he said.

It might be to the benefit of the people to consider combining the strength of individual local authorities to add strength in dealing with the over-all problems of the area

At present there are five local authorities in and round Greymouth administering affairs for about 15,000 people. They are the Greymouth, Runanga and Brunner Borough Councils, the Grey County Council and the Greymouth Harbmjj Board.