Plaque to commemorate Lewis Pass architects

Press, 31 October 1981, Page 15

Plaque to commemorate Lewis Pass architects

By

VANESSA FERGUSON

Surveying of a route between Canterbury and the West Coast, through the Lewis Pass, was first done in the 1880 s. less than 20 years after the pass was discovered by Henry Lewis, chief engineer of the Nelson province. A bright future for building a road was predicted: it posed very few engineering difficulties, it would provide a closer link between the two provinces and it would result in the development of the Maruia Hot Springs.

But it was nearly 50 years before construction of the Lewis Pass road finally began and even then, only through the persistence and determination of two men, Mr E. P. H. Burbury. the owner of Glynn Wye station in North Canterbury, and Mr P. J. McLean, of Greymouth. Friends of long ■ standing, both men tried throughout the 1920 s to spark people’s interest in putting a road through the Lewis Pass, Mr McLean, as chairman of the Greymouth Progress League.

was more influential and received a favourable response from most West Coasters, but for Mr Burbury it was an uphill battle. Amuri County Council feared the maintenance costs that the road would incur and "squatters" along the Waiau River did not want a public highway cutting through their properties. At this stage, a road already ran from Reefton to Springs Junction on the West Coast, and on the East, a rough access track existed

from the Waiau Ferry, near Hanmer, to just beyond Glynn Wye station. There remained only 23 miles and a half of bushcovered valleys and rocky riverbeds to join these two. just over the 2800 ft summit of the pass. The first breakthrough came in May, 1929. when Mr Burbury. oh the instructions of the then Prime Minister (G. W. Forbes), led a group of men over the Lewis Pass on horseback.

They included Public Works Department engineers. representatives of the Automobile Association, the State Forestry Department, the Government Tourist Board, the Canterbury Progress League and several journalists and photographers. The purpose of the trip was to study the proposed route first-hand and to hold a meeting in Reefton to discuss the road with representatives from various West Coast local bodies.

Delegates at the meeting agreed that the only stumbling block would be the cost (estimated at £lOO.OOO because of the bridging involved) and a resolution was passed urging the Government to put the work in the hands of the Public Works Department and for construction to start immediately.

But for Mr Burbury, there was another problem to contend with. Many people, including the Amuri County Council, argued that once the road was improved up to his property, he would lose interest in the completion of it over the pass.

As he wrote in 1936, “I was told that I wouldn't bother with the road once it reached Glynn Wye. But after my trip to the West Coast in 1929. I saw how much the road was needed and I gave the Coasters the assurance that I would never give up until it was completed." Finally, with the go-ahead from the Government which agreed to put up the finance, work started in the latter part of 1929 and the road from the Hanmer turn-off began to take shape. The building of the highway was well-known in later years as marking the historic transition from primitive road making, by manual labour to modern construction. In fact, the early stage of the road was probably the last of the big pick , and shovel roading projects in New Zealand.

Throughout 1929 and 1930, men laboured with picks and shovels and wheelbarrows to level and improve the road up to Glynn Wye. During the slump in the 19305. when the building ’ of the road was made an unemployment re-

lief scheme, they worked in all weathers for 10s a week and “tucker.” “This was a period of slow motion,” wrote Mr Burbury. “Many people still argued that the road was a waste of public money and would only be used by tourists.” Both he and Mr McLean made several trips to Wellington to urge the Government to put up more money for a speedy completion of the road. But it was not until 1936 that it was finished, the

latter stages being completed by bulldozers introduced by the then Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple). In October, 1937, the road was officially opened by Mr Semple. A marquee was erected at the top of the pass and 640 people sat down to a luncheon. All the food was prepared by Mrs Burbury and the station cook at Glynn Wye. then transported 27 miles to the top of the pass. "Nothing was forgotten but the beer taps.” wrote Mr

Burbury, “and it was a frantic race to get them in time, but it was done.” To mark this occasion and the effort that Mr McLean and Mr Burbury put into getting the road through, a bronze plaque erected by the Amuri Historical Society will be unveiled by Mr Burbury’s sister-in-law, Mrs M. L. Morse, near the top of the pass today. Apart from a new scenic route to the West Coast and the subsequent development of the Maruia Hot Springs

resort, the Lewis Pass has contributed to cutting time and distance between Christchurch and Nelson, Murchison, Inangahua, Westport and Reefton. But without the work of Mr Burbury and Mr McLean, the road might not have been built until years later. “The enthusiasm of the pair never stopped. Because of the war, the road might not have oeen built until the 1950 s and both the East and West Coasters would have been robbed of a beautiful

national park and highway,” said Mr A. C. Shand, of Island Hills, who acted as a doorman at the opening ceremony.