Peninsula Inspection Made

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32126, 23 October 1969, Page 16

Peninsula Inspection Made

An inspection which could lead to the realisation of Mr H. G. Ell’s vision of a Summit Road stretching from Evans Pass to Hilltop was made on Banks Peninsula yesterday by 10 representatives of interested local bodies, the Canterbury Progress League, the Ministry of Works, and the Lands and Survey Department.

The Summit Road has never been completed. A section of 211 miles, between Gebbies Pass and the existing Summit Road near Hilltop, remains little more than a paper; road. , . As a result of yesterdays] inspection, which was arranged bv a sub-committee of the Akaroa County Council, the Akaroa, Wairewa and Mount Herbert County Councils are likely to ask the National Roads Board for a free grant of $lOOO each towards preliminary surveys for the proposed link.

At present the proposed extension is shown on maps as [a dotted line, with the legend. “Line of Summit Road.” The inspection party, which included newspaper and tele, vision representatives, travelled in three four-wheel-drive vehicles to the start of the proposed extension at Gebbies Pass, near the 3YA radio transmitter. From there, the proposed road curves across to Mount Herbert The chairman of' the Akaroa County Council (Mr G. P. A. de Latour) said that the inspection had the support of the Progress League and the No. 14 District Roads Council. The proposed road involved three counties, and would open up a lot of coun- | try by giving better access, he isaid.

Equally as important, it would open up some good reserves. and bring considerable scenic benefits. Mr D. C. Morse, of the Lands and Survey Department, said that the organisation might eventually have to go to the Minister of Tourism for Government support. Mr H. H. Deans, represent-

ing the Canterbury Progress League, said that the league welcomed the project and would like'to help. Attempts should be made to obtain the best road possible. After the inspection, Mr Deans said that the project was ambitious but very worth while. All should give their support. The party travelled to Diamond Harbour, then took a track to the top of Herbert Peak (3015 ft the highest point in the range. The proposed road would cross the top of the peak—which four-wheel-drive vehicles can reach now—after skirting Mount Herbert itself. From Herbert Peak in clear weather the land can be seen to Timaru in the south and past Motunau Island to the Kaikouras in the north. It also gives outstanding views of the plains, the alps, and Lyttelton Harbour. Mr Deans described the panoramic view as “the best possible view of Canterbury." From Herbert Peak the line of the road crosses Mount Fitzgerald and Mount Sinclair to join with the exist

ing Summit Road about a mile from Hilltop. After lunch the party drove to the top of the Puaha Valley and on to the road line between Herbert Peak and Mount Sinclair, before descending to Little River. In many places the line of the road is fenced off from surrounding country. Members of the party agreed that apart from one or two short sections, the road line was over country easy for road construction.

Mr de Latour represented the Akaroa County Council with the county engineer (Mr F. K. Stone), Messrs W. A. Habgood and A. W. Ericson represented the Akaroa county town committee, Mr W. C. Miller represented the Wairewa County Council, Mr C. E. Jenkins the Mount Herbert County Council, Mr Deans the Progress League, Mr D. A. Tucker the Ministry of Works, Messrs Morse and N. Eathorne the Lands and Survey Department. Mr H. W. Fawcett, the Banks Peninsula noxious weeds inspector, acted as guide to the party.